8F 

ST 



9 

I 




aass_i^^^^^T 



Book 



t5 



^ 



/ 




DON'T KILL THE 
LAYING HEN 



A BOOK DESCRIBING AND EXPLAINING THE POTTER SYSTEM OF 
SELECTING LAYING AND NON-LAYING HENS, ALSO RECORD- 
ING AND ILLUSTRATING HIS INVESTIGATIONS AND 
DISCOVERIES CONCERNING THE DISEASES 
OF THE EGG-PRODUCING ORGANS 



6^^ 
3^ 



T. F. POTTER 



THIRTEENTH EDITION 



COPYRIGHT 1909 
BY T. F. POTTER 



PUBLISHED BY 

AMERICAN POULTRY JOURNAL PUB. CO. 

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 







^r^^^ 



^\^\^ 



\-^ 



TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN 

The original reading matter and illustrations in this 
book are fully covered by United States copyright, and 
the same has been registered in the United States copy- 
right office, Washington, D. C. Anyone infringing this 
copyright is liable to prosecution to the full extent of the 
law covering this subject. 

T. F. POTTER 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Preface 7 

The Object of Secrecy 9 

How the Egg Grows 11 

How Nature Controls the Laying Organs 12 

The Secret of the Potter System 15 

How to Pick Out the Non-Laying Hen 18 

How to Determine the First Stage of Egg Development. ... 22 

To Know Hew Far the Hen is Toward the Laying Point. ... 25 

How to Pick Out the Hen That is Laying 28 

To Know the Hens That Are the Most Prolific Layers 28 

To Know How and When to Cull the Non- and Poor Layers 

Out of the Flock 35 

To Know the Ones to Sell and the Ones to Keep 42 

Why Early Spring is the Best and Most Practical Time to 

Cull the Poor and Non-Layers Out of the Flock 4 3 

How to Tell the Hen That Has Laid Out a Batch of Eggs, 

and Other Information Regarding Setting Hens 44 

The Best Way to Break Up the Broody State 48 



Don't Kill the Laying Hen 



Page 

How Eggs Can Be Produced in Winter, and Some of 

Nature's Laws Regarding Egg Development Explained 51 

How the Laying Organs Are Affected When the Hens Are 

Infested With Vermin 60 

How to Avoid Wintering Hens That Are Likely to Be Poor 

Winter Layers 61 

How Overfeeding Before Egg Development Starts May Re- 
duce the Egg Production 64 

The Laying Hen Should Be Educated — When, How and 

Where 68 

How to Separate the Poor Layers From the Good Without 

Handling, Or How They Will Separate Themselves. ... 69 

How to Buy Hens in the Fore Part of Winter, That Would 
Make Good Winter Layers, and Sell Them Again at a 
Good Profit in the Spring 73 

How Roup and Similar Diseases Affect the Laying Organs 
of Hens; Also How the Laying Organs Become Dis- 
abled By Other Causes 74 

Ten Ways to Suspect Hens That Are Not Laying 102 

Three Ways to Prove Their Laying Condition 102 



PREFACE 




N presenting this book, containing the re- 
sults of many years of investigation among 
fowls, I have been greatly encouraged by 
many practical poultrymen who have led 
me to realize that my investigations were 
really revealing some new truths in refer- 
ence to poultry culture. I must confess that 
w4ien I first took up this work, there was no 
hint or suggestion that so many hens had defective egg- 
producing organs; and I believe this is the first book 
which has attempted to point out a way to detect and de- 
termine these defects. 

My first booklet, entitled "Don't Kill the Laying Hen," 
was made short and concise, so it might be easily under- 
stood. Many important points were intentionally omitted 
pending further investigations, as I did not want to ad- 
vance any theories until I had carefully tried them out 
myself. After two years of almost constant observation 
of my own fiock, and after collecting the specimens which 
are shown herein, I feel sure that poultry keepers will not 
only gain some new points from this book, but will also 
see reasons for many actions in their hens which they have 
noticed, and hence will be ready to accept what I have to 
offer. 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 



I do not pretend to give in this book a complete treatise 
on the care of fowls; but simply aim to give an account 
of my discoveries in regard to egg formation and develop- 
ment. There is yet much to learn about the hen and I 
hope that every purchaser of this book will join me in 
studying how to eliminate the non-laying hen, which will 
most certainly increase our poultry profits. 




THE OBJECT OF SECRECY 




AWMAKERS believe it just and right to 
make laws that protect an invention, in 
order that the inventor could not be robbed 
by others that have expended neither time 
nor thought on the invention. Also, by not 
having protection the would-be inventor 
would have no incentive or courage to put 
forth his best thoughts and energy to per- 
fect the invention that might prove to be of great value 
to the public and to himself. Therefore the patent laws 
were enacted. 

Certain articles can only be protected by copyright. 
This is protection to a certain degree, and no further ; as 
far as this law reaches it is very strong. Beyond this 
point the author is at the mercy of the imposing public. 
In my case a portion of my time and best thoughts for 
the last twelve years have been spent in investigation 
along this line on the subject ^hat is taken up in the 
booklet. 

I fully believe the public is able and willing to pay for 
this valuable knowledge, and thus remunerate for time 
and thought spent. 



HOW THE EGG GROWS 




HE two organs that perform the most impor- 
tant part in producing the egg are the 
ovary and oviduct. The ovary is attached 
to the back bone, and is over the one joint 
in the back (or very close to the joint), 
v^hich is about the center of the body. The 
oviduct starts from the ovary, laying in 
folds on the left side of the back bone, and 
extends to the point of egg delivery, and if the duct were 
unfolded it would be 18 or 24 inches long. 

The ovary is the organ which forms the germ that 
eventually will be the full-grown egg. Its part of the 
work is to mature the yolk, and when it fully reaches this 
condition the outer covering of the yolk ruptures and al- 
lows it, with its more delicate inner covering, to drop out 
into the mouth of the oviduct. It then passes through the 
oviduct, and in the first 5 or 6 inches of its journey it 
receives its coating of albumin, or what is called the white 
of the egg. The albumin is brought in by circulation 
and stored in cells in the oviduct, and as the yolk passes 
through the albumin secreted is gathered by the yolk. 
After this part of the work is finished the two sub- 
stances have to be sacked and sealed. For the next 6 or 



i2 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

7 inches of its journey this sack is growing around it, and 
in the last few inches of its journey the shell is formed ; 
then the Q^g is laid and the work is finished. 

When the hen is laying regularly under natural con- 
ditions shortly after an egg has been laid another yolk 
is received into the oviduct and repeats the same process. 

If the hen should be laying an Qgg every day it would 
make this journey every twenty-four hours. The ovary 
is the most important part of the organ, and governs the 
quantity of eggs laid; as the organ becomes impaired 
very easily and loses its full power to produce the germ 
that is to be developed into the full-grown Qgg, often the 
germ that has been produced becomes weakened and can- 
not develop and after a time withers and dies, thus caus- 
ing a diseased condition. This partly explains why some 
hens produce two or three times as many eggs as others 
under the same care and feed. 

When we consider that the Q^g contains two distinct 
parts and the delicate covering required to hold the sub- 
stance, it must surely take a very complicated piece of 
machinery to produce it, and it is not to be wondered at 
that it is easily thrown out of working condition, to 
which reference is made further on. 

HOAV NATURE CONTROLS THE LAYING ORGANS. 

In order to better understand why it is possible to sep- 
arate the non-laying from the laying hen, it is quite 
necessary for one to become somewhat familiar with the 



Doii^t Kill the Laying Hen 13 

laying organs of the hen and how they are controlled by 
nature's laws. 

The laj/ing organs oi the pullet grow as she matures, 
and when she has become full grown the laying organs are 
fully developed, but are in a dormant or dry state. They 
continue in this state until egg development takes place. 
Egg development might start as soon as the pullet 
reaches full maturity if conditions were right, but, if not, 
would continue in this dormant state until conditions 
were right to start egg development. This development 
is dependent upon favorable or unfavorable conditions. 
Egg development starts by a stimulated circulation, or 
what might be called a secondary circulation. This cir- 
culation progresses no faster than it can be spared from 
the body, and hence egg development may be fast or slow. 
This point will be more fully taken up under another 
head. 

In order that the reader mav better understand, it must 
be remembered that before any egg development takes 
place, or while the pullet's or hen's laying organs are in 
a dormant or dry state, the organs are very small and 
contracted, showing no signs of circulation. But when 
egg development begins numerous veins that have been 
lying dormant start to develop. At first they are so small 
that they cannot be seen with the naked eye, but en- 
large and increase in activity as development increases, 
and the hen starts laying, provided conditions were not 
changed so as to retard or delay the development. How- 
ever, it is the circulation that is bringing the entire laying 
organs into action or full working order. 



14 DonH Kill the Lay big Hen 

While these organs are developing there is a corre- 
sponding relaxation and expansion of the organs, which 
continues during egg development. When the full de- 
veloped point is reached the organs are many times larger 
than while in the dry state. Now some of the once tiny 
germs (no larger than a pin head) have developed to 
the full-grown yolk, ready to rupture and be taken into 
the oviduct, where it receives its coating of albumin, is 
sacked, sealed and coated with shell material, and deliv- 
ered in a marketable condition. 

When full egg development has been reached the time 
has not been spent in developing just the one yolk, but 
several have been started and are in different stages of 
growth. When the full developed stage is reachi'd <ill 
functions that have anything to do with egg production 
are fully prepared to do the task appointed by nature. 

Ligaments that were once contracted have now become 
relaxed ; veins that were lying dormant have become ex- 
panded, and in proper condition to transmit the substances 
necessary to the growth of the egg. 

The ovary sack that was very small and contracted in 
the dormant state has now, in the fully developed state, 
become greatly enlarged, or large enough to hold from 
six to ten various sized yolks. The intestines that occu^ 
pied this space when the laying organs were dormant 
have had to take another position, allowing the full ovary 
sack to occupy its space. The yolk that is to take the 
journey through 20 inches or more of oviduct to complete 
the work must not be crowded, and the ligaments that 



Bon^t Kill the Laying Hen 15 

were holding the intestines well up have become relaxed 
and allow the intestines to take a low position, leaving 
room for the egg that is to pass through the duct. If the 
description given has been well understood it will be 
seen that conditions with the laying are much different 
from the non-laying hen, and by becoming familiar with 
these conditions the laying or non-laying hen can be 
known. 

THE SECRET OF THE POTTER SYSTEM. 

The information contained in this booklet is but the 
revelation of nature's own law relative to the egg-laying 
functions of the hen and is the result of careful investi- 
gation and many years of close study in this line. 

Every hen has what are known as lay bones. These 
two small bones are connected to the under part of the 
frame of the back bone, and are joined nearly their entire 
length by ligaments and muscle tissues. In the ordinary 
hen they are about 2 inches long, and at the extreme end 
of the back bone they turn inwards, projecting about 
one-half or three-quarters of an inch, pointing towards 
each other. By referring to cut No. 1 the reader will 
readily see just where these bones are located, a little be- 
low and on either side of the egg vent the ends of the 
bones showing prominently under the skin. These bones 
are so fastened to the frame by tissues that they are 
slightly movable, and they are firmly attached farther 
back to the main frame of the back bone and the bone is 




C 
'>. 

.J 



di o 

S w 

I I 




Fig. 4 



S^^^^^^p^lt^A^^f O/ff "4 °1 Fig. 1- Showing Laying Organs of Fig. 2- 

Full Doimant State. Pull Laying State. 



L. — Ovary. 



O.— Oviduct. 



18 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

so jointed (see cut No. 3) that it can spread and give 
room as required for egg development, or as the eggs be- 
come larger and more numerous. 

The secret of selecting laying hens is by the examina- 
tion of these lay bones. It is upon their laxness or rigid- 
ity, their position, whether closed or open, that the laying 
condition of the hen can be determined, as is explained in 
detail in the following pages. 



HOW TO PICK OUT THE NON-LAYING HEN. 
The ''Lay Bone" Test— Test No. 1. 

In selecting the laying or non-laying hens from a flock 
it is, of course, necessary to make an examination of each 
hen, and the best time to do this is shorly after they have 
gone to roost. In order to make a thorough examination the 
most convenient method is to first grasp the hen by the 
legs with the right hand, thrust her head and neck under 
your left arm, pressing your arm towards the body so 
that her head may be held securely, allowing the body to 
lay somewhat on the arm. Then take hold of the legs 
with the left hand, and your right hand is entirely free 
to make the examination. 

As was mentioned in a previous paragraph, the position 
and condition of the lay bones largely determine the lay- 
ing or non-laying condition of the hen. The distance be* 
tween the bones, whether thoy are lax or rigid, and the 
condition of ligament between the bones, whether it is in 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 19 

a contracted or relaxed condition, will determine very 
closely the dry or developing conditions of the laying or- 
gans. 

I shall suppose, now, that you thoroughly understand 
the dry or dormant state of the organs and the full laying 
or developing conditions, and you will be able to under- 
stand why these conditions that I explain further on are 
to be found in the hens as described. 

Method of Measurement. 

For ease and convenience of measuring the distance be- 
tween the lay bones I have found nothing better than the 
fingers (your fingers you always have with you), and by 
following out my method of holding the hen this will be 
found the quickest and best way. The size of the fingers 
varies in different persons somewhat, and this must be 
considered. Further, the lay bones of hens that have laid 
one season are usually a little farther apart in the dry 
state than pullets' are before any egg development has 
taken place ; also the distance apart varies a little in dif- 
ferent breeds; but by following closely my directions 
in practice the unit of measurement will be found suffi- 
ciently exact to make the selections. 

If you do not care to make a very thorough examina- 
tion a fairly good test can be made as they sit on the roost, 
and if one is found that you are suspicious of it can be 
handled as has been described (Test No. 1). For ex- 
ample, if the lay bones are found in an almost closed 
position, as is shown in cut No. 5, allowing but the widtn 



20 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

of one finger between them, if they are found to be quite 
rigid and do not yield readily when placing the points of 
Ihumb and finger between them gently trying to separate 
them, also if you find by pressing lightly in between the 
bones lliat the ligament is in a contracted state, the skin 
quite thick and hard above and below the ligament; also 
if the space between the hip bones, just above the point of 
delivery, is found to be very narrow and contracted, it 
will be safe to conclude that the hen's laying organs are 
in a dry and dormant stale, as in cuts Nos. 3, 13 or 14. 

Test No. 2, Or the Bowel Test. 

To have further proof of the hen's condition a second 
test may be applied by opening the hand and reaching up 
from the lower part of the abdomen with the fingers on 
the right side and the thumb on the left side. By sliding 
the hand up, allowing the ends of the thumb and fingers 
to follow along the lower edges of the frame of the back 
bone, or between the breast bone and the frame of the 
back. Now. when your finger ends and thumb are about 
one-third the .jstance up the body, or in the soft and 
boneless part of the body, your thumb and finger ends are 
very close to each side of the ovary and Qg^ sack. How- 
ever, if the laying organs are in the dormant state, as the 
lay bones have indicated, the point in question will be 
found, by gently closing the hand, to be quite empty. 
Now close the hand gently and draw it back to the lower 
point of the abdomen, still closing the fingers and thumb, 
ap4 you will find that you have nothing between them 




Fig. 5 

Showing the Back-bone, AVith the Projecting Lay-Bones Nearly Closed. 
This is the Position of the Bones in the Non-Laying Hen. 



22 Don't Kill the Laying Hen 

but an empty abdomen sack, which indicates that the 
laying organs are in the dormant state, and thus gives us 
further proof of the hen's condition. 

The hollowness, emptiness and gauntness on each side 
of the egg sack (see cut No, 1) shows that it is empty, 
and the empty abdomen shows that the intestines are 
well up in the back, as is their natural position when the 
laying organs are in a dry or dormant state. This empty 
abdomen sack, as I see fit to call it, is there to receive 
the intestines when the hen is full of eggs or in laying 
condition. I do not mean to say that a hen in this condi- 
tion will never lay again, but it does show that the laying 
organs are in an inactive state. All hens get in this con- 
dition in the molting season, or when she has laid out 
her batch of eggs and been allowed to sit on the nest for 
six or eight days, which time it takes for the laying or- 
gans to go back to the full dry or dormant state, and 
when in this condition a hen could not be expected to be- 
gin laying again for three or four weeks, which point is 
more fully explained on page 44. 

HOW TO DETERMINE THE FIRST STAGES OF EGG 
DEVELOPMENT. 

Test No. 1. 

If upon examination the lay bones are found somewhat 
more than a finger's width apart, and by placing the 
thumb and finger between them and gently trying to sep- 
arate them they seem to show a little laxity, and also by 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 23 

pressing the finger lightly down between them you find 
the ligament to be somewhat more lax than in the entirely 
dry state, and the skin above the ligament seems to be 
thinner and softer, also the skin above the point of deliv- 
ery, and surrounding this part, is found to be more lax 
than in the full dry state, it is quite safe to conclude that 
egg development has started and circulation in the organs 
has taken place. The ligaments having relaxed somewhat 
and the cartilage softened between the joints, allow bones 
to spread and give a little. This first stage of egg devel- 
opment (See cut No. 6) is not very easily determined, as 
circulation is too slight to give very much outward sign, 
but as the development advances signs that have been 
described will be more prominent and readily detected. 
If undecided, allow a week to pass and then make an- 
other examination, and if egg development has started 
the signs will be more prominent and a better decision 
can be made. 

It might be stated at this point that the circulation that 
develops the egg is not a positive or continuous one. It 
might be called a secondary circulation, and if the body 
fell short of substance, or had no surplus to spare for egg 
development the flow would be retarded until the body 
again had an excess. Thus it can be understood that egg 
development can make a start and be checked or retarded 
at almost any point; so it may be understood that if no 
advancement is being made more time must be given for 
development. 




Fig. 6 

Sh.owing the Ovary and Oviduct in a Stage of Development, in Healthy 

State. 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 25 



TO KNOW HOW FAR THE HEN IS TOWARD THE 
LAYING POINT. 

The ''Bowel" Test, Or Test No. 2. 

If in making an examination the lay bones are wide 
enough apart to admit two fingers, as shown in cut No. 
8, the ligament that was in a very contracted state when 
the hen's laying organs were in a dry, dormant condition 
has now become softer and more lax, also the skin above 
the ligaments has become thinner, and the contracted state 
is found farther down than in the full dry state. Also by 
keeping the points of the fingers close together, placing 
them just above the point of delivery, it is found to be 
quite soft and lax, and hip bones farther apart, you may 
conclude egg development is well advanced and reached 
about the stage shown in cut No. 7, and the largest ovaries 
might be about the size of hazelnuts or a little larger. 
These are conditions that will be found as hens start lay- 
ing in the first part of the laying season. 

To further prove the stage of development you can 
now make test No. 2, or the bowel test, as was described 
on page 20. If in making the examination it is found 
that at the point, as shown by end of thumb and first 
finger (See cut No. 2), each side of the ovary or egg sack 
is much fuller and filling up, and the abdomen sack is 
filling also, it is safe to conclude that the hen is well ad- 
vanced toward the laying point, and the egg sack is 
filled with yolks of various sizes. (See cut No. 7.) 




Fig. 7 

Showing a Well Advanced Laying Organ, in Healthy State. 
L.— Ovary. O.— Oviduct. 




Fig. 8 

Showing the Lay Bones Open the Width of Two Fingers. The Eggs In 

a Hen in This Condition Will Have Grown to About the Size 

Shown in Fig. 7. 



28 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

HOW TO PICK OUT THE HEN THAT IS LAYING. 

If in examining her the lay bones are found wide 
enough apart to admit about three lingers, as shown in 
cuts Nos. 2 and 10, and are quite lax so they can be 
opened or closed easily by pressing them gently; the 
ligament that was contracted when the laying organs 
were in the dormant state has now become relaxed and 
but little trace is found of it, then it is safe to conclude 
that the hen is in full and strong laying condition. (See 
cuts. Nos. 2, -i and 9). Of course, she might have just laid 
out a batch of eggs and the bones still be in this condition ; 
but to prove it you will apply test No. 2. By finding the 
condition of the egg and abdomen sack, as was described 
under the head of "How to Pick Out the Non-Laying 
Hen," and if the points in question are well filled and 
rounded out (See cut No. 2) the hen without doubt is in 
full laying condition. The eggs will be in all stages of 
development, similar as shown in cuts Nos. 4 and 9. 



TO KNOW THE HENS THAT ARE THE MOST PRO- 
LIFIC LAYERS. 

To most poultrymen it would seem quite impossible to 
pick from a flock of hens the most prolific layers without 
the use of the ti\ip nest, but in this article I propose to 
give the results of a careful and extended investigation 
which I have made of this subject, and it may not prove 
so difficult, after all. 



DonH Kill ilie Laying Ben 2d 

I will now assume the reader has become familiar with 
some of the laws that control the laying organs, and, with 
the help of the cuts showing the various conditions 
of these organs, I think it will be plainly seen that the 
hen laying the most prolifically can be known. First, 
it is apparent that a hen laj^ing six eggs a week must 
have nearly twice as many eggs under development that 
the hen would have that was only laying three eggs. 
Admitting this to be true, the greater number would re- 
quire a larger egg sack to contain them and the larger 
egg sack would require a larger amount of room in the 
hen's body than a smaller one, and consequently the hen 
having the larger egg sack would be more distended at 
the points opposite to or on either side of the egg sack, 
and by making an examination as has been explained, also 
comparisons (See cut No. 2) a difference in distended 
sides can be readily noted. By further reasoning, the 
hen producing the larger number of eggs must necessarily 
consume more food and thus have a larger crop at roost- 
ing time, and this I call the crop test. And it follows 
that the intestines handling the larger amount of food 
would also be more distended. On examination of the 
abdomen sack (See cut No. 2) at the same time will show 
the sides opposite the egg sack are quite full and well dis- 
tended. It has been explained that the hen having the 
laying organs in a dry or dormant state, has the intes- 
tines occupying the space well up in the back, or the 
space the laying organs occupy when they are in a full 
laying condition, and also that as they develop into a 




Fig. 9 



Showing Organs in Full Laying Condition-Organs in Healthy State 




Fig. 10 

Showing tlio Lay Bones Open the Width of Three Fingers. The Hen Is 

in Full Laying Condition, as Shown in Cut on Other Page. 

Irregular Lines Sliow Joints in Backbone. 



32 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

laying state the intestines take a low position and fill 
the abdomen sack that has been relaxing (See cut No. 2, 
showing full abdomen sack), thus alloAving room for the 
Qgg that has to pass through the ovary duct to be com- 
pleted. The space between the lay bones, and their lax- 
ness, must not be overlooked in making an examination to 
determine whether the hen is laying prolifically or not; 
if the hen is laying nearly every day the lay bones will be 
found to be further apart and more lax than the hen that 
is laying less frequently. 

There will be very few exceptions to this rule unless 
the hen should be an old one, as a certain percentage of 
hens that have laid more than one season become some- 
what bone-bound, and cannot respond to these laws of 
nature, and would be laying more often than the distance 
between the lay bones would indicate. However, the hens 
in the first laying season can be relied upon with but very 
few exceptions. It is safe to conclude that the hen is 
laying nearly every day when the lay bones are fully 
opened to the width of three fingers and when gently 
pressing down between the ])onos the ligaments and skin 
are found quite soft and relaxed; also that the bones can 
be opened and closed easily. A hen that is layino: every day 
has a very strong circulation through the laying organs. 
And let it be understood that as circulation increases the 
relaxed condition increases, and consequently all parts 
that have anything to do with the laying organs will be- 
come more relaxed and distended. I have given tlirec 
tests that prove the laying conditions of a hen, and I shall 



DoYiH Kill the TAn/inr/ Hen 33 

call them ''Lay Bone Test No. 1," "Bowel Test No. 2'* 
and ''Crop Test No. 3.'* 

Another test that I have not mentioned before is made 
by placing the fingers astride the back part of the breast 
bone and drawing them back to the very back point, and 
if it is found that the abdomen drops down considerably 
loAver than the point of the breast bone it is additional 
proof that the ovary sack is well filled with yolks and the 
intestines hang down to make further room for egg for- 
mation. This condition must not be confused with the 
over-fat condition, which will be explained and illustrated 
later. This test may be used in connection with the reg- 
ular abdomen test. In making them it will be found in 
nearly every case that the three tests will agree and one 
will prove the other. For example, if the lay bones are 
well open the abdomen sack will be found to be well 
filled and the sides of the hen's body at points on each 
side of ovary sack, as shown in cut No. 2, will be well dis- 
tended ; also if the hen has had access to all the feed her 
appetite called for the crop would be filled in accordance 
to the other conditions. I wish to emphasize the fact that 
a hen that is producing an egg nearly e\ery day has to 
consume a large amount of food, and the appetite and in- 
stinct of the foAvl provides or sees to it that the crop is 
well supplied with food just before roosting time to sup- 
ply the mill that is to grind the material to produce eggs, 
and to one wishing to select the best layers out of a flock 
the crop test is a very important and true guide, of which 
I shall have more to say under another head; the other 



34 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

tests are very reliable and practical. A very enthusiastic 
and successful pbultryman told me that one of his hens 
laid fifty-six eggs in fifty-six days, and the fifty-seventh 
day no Qg^ was laid. But during the time these eggs 
were laid the hen's lay bones were open to the extent of 
four fingers. The over-fat hen in tests Nos. 1 and 2 may 
show a misleading condition, and the crop test will prova 
to be the most reliable guide. 

Some allowance must be made for the size of the hen 
in considering the distance between the lay bones. The 
back or frame of the small breed is much narrower, and 
consequently the bones are closer together when the lay- 
ing organs are in a dry state, and in the laying state do 
not open so wide as the larger framed hen. 

To anyone having a large number of hens running to- 
gether it may seem a task to go over the whole flock and 
make an examination of each hen. To these I sugg^est 
that they separate the poor layers from the good by fol- 
lo"\ving out the plans as described under the head "How 
to Separate Poor Layers From the Good Without 
Handling Them,** and then a test can be made of those 
that have been separated, and if there has been a mis- 
tnke made it will be discovered by making an examina- 
tion. 



Don^t Kill the Lai/inf/ Hen 35 

TO KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO CULL THE NON- 
AND POOR LAYERS OUT OF THE FLOCK. 

There are several important facts to be considered un- 
der this head which might be called the most important 
part of the entire subject. There are complicated condi- 
tions to be understood, as well as simpler parts of the 
subject that have been explained under other heads and 
may be repeated here to make you more thoroughly fa- 
miliar Avith and to better understand the conditions. 

To know when to start culling: I could answer this 
with very few words and just say, "Cull always and 
every time a poor or non-laying hen appears in the flock, * ' 
because there would not have to be a very large flock in 
order to find hens now and then that have wholly or par- 
tially lost their power of egg production from various 
causes and at all seasons of the year. Undoubtedly the 
larger number of disorders would start during the winter 
season and as they developed it would show later on ; so 
I repeat, "cull always," but particularly during the lay- 
ing season. 

We will suppose that there has not been any culling, or 
very little. A start must be made, and, not knowing what 
time of the year it will take place, and as conditions vary 
according to seasons, these changed and varied conditions 
will have to be considered and the reader informed in or- 
der to carry out the culling in a proper manner. We will 
suppos3 that you start culling about the first part of the 
year, and the flock consists of old hens and pullets. Age 



36 Don^t Kill the Laying Hen 



and care would to a great extent govern their conditions 
at this time of the year. If no extra care has been given 
to the flock, and the pullets late hatched, it would be safe 
to presume that the majority of the flock's laying organs 
would still be in the dormant state; or, the majority of 
them might be in various developing stages; or it might, 
be that most of the flock had developed into full laying 
conditions; then culling could be made with a larger de- 
gree of safety. If ther^ were hens in the flock that had 
previously taken on a diseased or weakened condition of 
the laying organs the hen could easily be detected, as 
those having the diseased conditions would be the last 
to start development, provided equal care of the birds had 
been given and they were of the same age. It can be 
seen and understood that if the majority of the flock had 
come into the laying state the others, having had the same 
care, must have some disorder; therefore it may be seen 
that culling can start under such conditions, with few 
mistakes. On the other hand, if culling was undertaken 
a month earlier the majority of the flock might be in the 
dormant state, which would make the task more difficult. 
As moulting season comes on the organs go into the dor- 
mant state and would at this time be in the same condi- 
tion as the hen with diseased or weakened laying organs. 
No satisfactory culling could be done under these condi- 
tions, only to know that the first hens starting develop- 
ment must have good, strong laying organs: but as the 
season advances and the hens start e^c: development and 
the majority roach the good laying point the culling can 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen fVi 

be made more easily at this point or season of the year 
and be more liable to find the hens that have their laying 
organs out of order. This one point can be depended 
upon : if there are hens in the flock that have organs out 
of condition they will be the last ones to start egg devel- 
opment, as has been stated before, and consequently can 
be easily known by their undeveloped state. As such hens 
will start egg development a little later on in the season, 
after becoming fairly advanced, they are not so easily de- 
tected; so it can be seen that starting about the middle 
of January and continuing up to the middle of March 
all hens having good laying organs would be fully devel- 
oped and laying. On the contrary, hens having organs 
in a diseased or weakened state would be later in starting 
development, and the worst of the flock would be the last 
to start. Consequently, this season would be the best to 
start culling. I will now suppose you have not done any 
until the laying season had become well advanced, and 
which I consider the best time, but if you delay you are 
going to have some complicated conditions to contend 
with, because hens that have diseased and weakened con- 
ditions of the laying organs will later have advanced to 
some stage of egg development ; if there is any life in the 
laying organs at all it will start egg development during 
the spring months, which is the most natural laying sea- 
son, and may develop to the full laying point, while others 
in a more diseased state, which cannot reach that point, 
may still show a well advanced stage of development. If the 
season has well advanced there will be some of the hens 



38 DoriH Kill the Laying Hen 

that have laid out a batch, some have become broody and 
some did not show a broody condition at the end of the 
batch, but still the condition would change as the hen 
laid out the batch and she showed a poor state of laying 
condition, compared with the hen that was rather a poor 
layer or the one that Avas diseased or weakened. It can 
easily be seen that these advanced stages which appear 
during the summer months complicate the culling, and 
a follow-up system has to be adopted to make the culling 
at this time of the year a success. Under these conditions 
a separate department should be made to put such hens in 
as show a poor laying state. Then, in a week or so, a 
second culling can be made, and hens that were put in this 
department showing a low state of laying condition, but 
having really just finished laying a batch of eggs and were 
taking a short rest, would prove their condition in a 
short time by developing up to the good laying point 
again ; then they can be placed back in the regular laying 
flock. 

Another point should be understood. At this season of 
the year hens that have become broody and allowed to set 
on th nest for several days, during which the ovaries are 
drying up, are usually shut up in some old box or coop, 
without exercise and perhaps insufficient food to help 
nature to complete Avhat has already been started, and 
later returned to the regular flock in this low state of 
laying condition, would be culled out from the flock 
as non- or poor laying hens. Under such conditions it 
can be seen that the only way to determine these eases is 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 39 

to give the hen time to see if she will develop into good 
laying condition, so that the follow-up system is the only 
practical way. But this trouble could be avoided if the 
hen had been properly handled. When the setting spell 
comes on proper handling keeps the laying organs from 
going back into the dormant state. It would only be a 
few days when a new batch of eggs would start to develop, 
the normal appetite come back, with a well-tilled crop, 
and she would be passed as all right. 

The over-fat hen must be looked after, a few important 
points being understood. Here I must say that if the 
third (or "Crop") test was not understood, or could not 
be brought into use, the over-fat hens with diseased or 
weakened laying organs would be a hard proposition on 
our hands, but the crop reveals the hen's condition. When 
hens become over-fat, at least during the laying season, it 
is a sure sign that the hen's laying organs are somewhat 
out of order and excess of substance that should have 
been used up in the Qgg development was turned into fat. 
Such hens may be found in various conditions, as some 
may have life enough in their organs to produce one or 
two eggs a week and others almost reach the laying point 
but not the full state, and perhaps hold a few undeveloped 
eggs in a comatose state for weeks and sometimes for 
months (See cuts Nos. 16 and 28) and not be able to 
reach the full laying state, perhaps some found in only 
a partial stage of Qgg development, but no further ad- 
vancement could be made. With these existing condi- 
tions, an excess of fat accumulated around the intes- 



40 DonH Kill tJie Laying Hen 

tines, a very thick layer around the gizzard and abdomen 
sack, all tending to distend the body and produce a de- 
ceiving condition. 

The ''Lay Bone" and "Bowel" tests would show the 
hen to be well extended, indicating a fairly good laying 
condition, and in such cases if such hens were killed and 
examined would be found to be filled with yolks under 
different stages of development and could not have laid 
them. Such conditions are deceiving to even au expert 
and lead to suspicion, and the hen put under the follow- 
up system for a while decides the matter. 

As was stated in the beginning of this article, culling 
shouM be done continuously, and a sharp lookout kept for 
hens that show signs of being poor or non-layers. The 
best time to go over the flock and make examinations 
and do the culling is in the evening after the hens 
have gone to roost and become well settled. If dark 
enough to require a lartern all the better, as they 
will not get stirred up so easily. To make the culling suc- 
cessful a systematic plan of feeding should be looked after 
or adopted. As has been stated, the crop test is a very 
important one, and in order to use it to the best advan- 
tage the feeding of the fowls just before culling must be 
looked after. Let this fact be well understood: a hen 
consumes food largely in proportion to the number of 
eggs that she lays. By this reasoning it can be readily 
understood why the crop test plays an important part. 
With these explanations we see why systematic feeding 
at all times, and certainly before culling the flock, should 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 41 

be considered and carried out. Regular feeding should 
be the rule, and no sudden change of feed made, and the 
last feed at night sufficient to entirely satisfy the appe- 
tite. 

Another point should be noted, i. e., it often happens 
that hens are fed too little variety and have lost their ap- 
petite for what they have been receiving and go to roost 
with small crops rather than eat the same feed or the feed 
they have become tired of. They may be hankering for 
green feed, or some change, and if this is the case the 
crop test would not work out so well nor would the hens 
show good laying conditions, nor could the culling be 
performed successfully. But with these points all ad- 
justed, if one has become familiar with the several con- 
ditions that are to guide them in making decisions as to 
the ones to be culled from the flock, he can proceed quite 
rapidly. 

It is not necessary to take each hen from the roost to 
make the examination, but only such ones that are found 
to be in a doubtful condition, and those can be taken from 
the roost and handled as described in the forepart. A 
very good idea of their condition can be had by first 
grappling the hen's crop with the hand that is most con- 
venient and using the other to take the other conditions. 
In making the abdomen test the hen is liable to struggle 
to be released and distend her sides in the struggle. In 
order to get the natural condition the hen must be in a 
normal state. It is not necessary to squeeze hard to get 
the conditions, only gently closing the hand. 



42 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

The hens which do not pass inspection and the doubt- 
ful ones should be placed in the quarters prepared for 
them, to be kept for a week or two and be followed up by 
other examinations to see if conditions have changed. If 
a separate department has not been provided for them the 
next best thing is to mark them either by leg band or 
some other method, and a record made of their conditions, 
allowing the hen further time to show signs of de- 
velopment. If only a small number of hens are kept 
it "\vill not be so difficult to keep track of the hens that 
might prove to be poor or non-layers, but if the flock is 
very large it is much the best to have a separate depart- 
ment and put the doubtful ones in. If possible this de- 
partment should be planned or constructed so that the 
hens put in it can have equal opportunities for exercise, 
range, and as good care in general as the rest of the flock. 
We shall have to suppose that a certain numlier has been 
culled out and placed in the department. If so, then 
how 

TO KNOW THE ONES TO SELL AND 
THE ONES TO KEEP 
AVill be the next point to consider. If a number of hens 
placed in this department have proven to be in a laying 
state, allow a week or ten days to pass and then make an- 
other culling to see if some of them have developed up 
into a better laying condition, and if such are found they 
should be placed back with the general laying flock and 
dispose of the culls as seems fit. In culling the general 
flock you may select some that will lay, and, as before 



Don^t Kill the Laying Hen 43 

stated, get some eggs from those you have culled, but do 
not think that you Avill not suceed in selecting out the 
poor or non-layers, a little experience will do wonders. 

WHY EARLY SPRING IS THE BEST AND MOST 

PRACTICAL TIME TO CULL THE POOR AND 

NON-LAYERS OUT OF THE FLOCK 

As spring is the most natural time of the year for hens 
to lay, and as the first batch of the season is much the 
largest, and as they lay much more prolifically at this 
time, consequently those that are laying good show 
a very strong laying condition, making a greater contrast 
between the good and the non- or poor layers, which 
makes it much easier for the unexperienced to make the 
selections and avoiding the complicated conditions to con- 
tend with later on in the season that have been fully 
described. Poultry raisers should not allow this season of 
the year to pass without making a thorough examination 
of the flock, and dispose of all over-fat and undeveloped 
hens, at least when the majority of the flock have come 
into good laying condition. 

Where the flock is large, culling can he made with lit- 
tle trouble if a little tact is used, by hapenning in the 
roosting quarters just as the last hens are leaving the 
roost, catch them and make an examination, and you 
will be convinced that you are getting the non-layers. 
This ivill be found to be a good trick, aiul an important 
one to knoiu, and if the plan is followed up the poor and 
V on-lay ers can all be kept out of the flock. 



44, Don't Kill the Laying Hen 



HOW TO TELL THE HEN THAT HAS LAID OUT A 

BATCH OF EGGS, AND OTHER INFORMS 

TION REGARDING SETTING HENS. 

It was mentioned under another heading that as the 
eggs developed the intestines changed their position, tak- 
ing a place further back and down, and remain so as long 
as the egg sack remains full, but as it becomes empty the 
intestines return to their almost normal position again, 
which I will now endeavor to illustrate. 

In order to get a practical experience regarding the 
conditions stated above select from your flock a laying 
and a non-laying hen and make a careful examination of 
each and the contrast will be easily seen. In learning how 
to select the hen which has laid out a batch of eggs I 
must first call your attention to the conditions of the 
broody hen. 

You must remember a hen does not always become 
broody after laying a batch of eggs. But for experi- 
ment, take a hen that has laid out a batch of eggs and 
become broody and make an examination as soon as she 
shows the first signs of wanting to set. She will be 
found to nave a somewhat empty abdomen and sides, but 
will not be as empty as a perfectly dry hen. Likewise 
the hen which has laid a batch will have the same appear- 
ance, or nearly so. 

Again, the lay bones might be two or more fingers 
;i{>art, providing the examination was made the same day 



/)ow7 Kill ihe Lnt/incj Tfen 4.5 



or soon after the last egg of the batch was laid. If the 
hen had been laying heavily the lay bones would be found 
nearly three fingers apart, but if she had been laying 
slowly near the end of the batch the bones would not be 
as open. If the examination was made very soon after 
fhe last egg was laid it can be seen that by not under- 
standing this condition one could easily be deceived in 
the laying or non-laying hen. For instance, if a hen's 
lay bones were found to be well open she v. ould ^e pro- 
nounced a hen in full laying condition, according to our 
first test, and if she fvere killed and examined and no 
eggs were found the law or rule might be pronounced un- 
reliable. 

In order to become more familiar with this law allow 
this same hen to set and make an examination of the lay 
bon^s every day for a week and note the contraction tak- 
ing place, which is in proportion as circulation is drawn 
back into the system, and in six or eight days the contrac- 
tion will be back to the same condition as the hen or 
pullet was before egg development took place. This is 
because the ovaries have reached the full dormant state. 

As circulation comes back and egg development starts 
again the lay bones relax according to the amount of cir- 
culation the organs are receiving. At this point valuable 
information can be gained by the illustration made upon 
thr setting hen. If the setting hen or the hen that has 
laid out a batch of eggs and has become broody is allowed 
to set on the nest for six or eight days with no intention 
of her being provided with a setting of eggs to hatch a 




Fig. 11 

Showing Laving Organs of Hen Tiiat Had Just Laid the Last Egg of 
the Batch in Healthy State. 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 



brood of chicks her time has been very unprofitably spent, 
because by allowing her to set for this length of time her 
laying organs have gone back into the full dormant state 
(See cuts Nos. 3, 13 or 14), and this means that hundreds 
of small and large veins do not have any circulation pass- 
ing through them, and all ligaments and tissues have be- 
come contracted that were in a fully developed condition 
when the hen laid out her batch and became broody. (See 
cut No. 11, showing organ shortly after last egg of batch 
was laid.) If the hen had not been allowed to set, but 
had been handled in a proper manner, the circulation 
through ti 9 laying organs would start and develop an- 
other batch :t eggs. (See cut No. 7) showing stage of 
development reached in five days from the time the last 
eggs of the previous batch was laid, by the hen being prop- 
erly handled when the last egg was laid and broody spell 
came on. Full laying stage reached in ten days. (See 
cut No. 9.) And often in eight or nine days the hen would 
De in full laying condition again. The hen that has been 
allowed to set for seven or eight days would, as formerly 
stated, be in an entirely dry state, and with the setting 
spell so firmly established several days would be required 
^0 overcome this condition. And after it had been broken 
up the laying organs, having to start afresh and be de- 
i^eloped over again, would take from three to four weeks 
under ordinary conditions to reach full laying develop- 
ment. Thus it can be seen that it is no small loss to al- 
low the hen that becomes broody to set for a number of 
days and no effort made to break the broody state. I 



48 DonH Kill the Lnyinq Hen 

have been in farmers' poultry houses in the summer and 
have seen three to five hens trying to set on one nest, and 
no doubt some had been setting for two weeks, and no 
one giving thought or attention to the condition the or- 
gans of the hens were getting into and the amount lost 
by the inattention. As some hens lay a small number of 
eggs in a batch, and as a broody state comes on after each 
batch, if the hen is not looked after she would lay but a 
few eggs in a season. 

THE BEST WAY TO BREAK UP THE 
BROODY STATE. 

We have seen that by allowing a hen that has become 
broody to remain on the nest for several days before be- 
ing taken from it to break the state is, from the stand- 
point of Qgg production, a serious loss to the poultryman. 
But this loss would not occur so often if the natural laws 
were better understood. The point now is to know the 
best and quickest way to break the broody hen and start 
Q^^ development. 

I have stated that egg development is started by a stim- 
ulated circulation, and it will continue to develop if the 
conditions are kept the same, consequently care should be 
exercised to produce and sustain this condition. 

Most poultry raisers know that the sooner the broody 
hen is taken from the nest the quicker the broody state is 
broken, and the sooner the hen will resume laying. How- 
ever, I believe they have not realized the importance of 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 4-$) 

this point, and I am sure it should be better understood. 
There are various methods of breaking this state, but I 
shall give the one that, from practical experience and 
observation, I have demonstrated to be the best. The 
main point desired is to bring the hen into a laying 
condition as soon as possible. Have a pen 6 or 8 feet 
square, or larger space if it can be spared, and the floor 
space should be covered with about 6 inches of strav7 or 
dry chaff, and keep an extra cockerel to supply this pen 
with, which should be a good, energetic bird. As soon as 
a hen is found to remain on the nest at night she should 
be taken off, given a good feed by herself and put in this 
pen with the cockerel. All the grain fed in this pen should 
bo well covered with litter so as to give her as much exer- 
cise as possible. Exercise and activity stimulate circula- 
tion and keep the laying organs from lapsing into the 
dormant state, as would be natural for them to do when 
they become broody. The exercise the hen will get by 
scratching for food and otherwise will renew the circula- 
tion and start another batch of eggs very soon. 

The hen should be well fed, but not overfed at this 
time, and the full feed should be in the evening. It is 
quite essential that the hen should be fed as soon as taken 
from the nest, as she may have been on the most 
of the day and had but a small amount of food, and if so 
this would help nature to further dry up the organs ; but 
if well fed the same night it will tend to give plenty 
of egg^ producing material and check the drying up. The 
exercise the hen will get the next day by working for 



DonH Kill the Laying Tien 50 

her food starts the new batch developing, renews 
the appetite, and in a day or two she can be re- 
turned to the regular flock witn no desire to return to the 
nest. But if allowed to remain on the nest for two or 
three days the state is much harder to break up, as by this 
time the hen would have largely lost the good appetite 
she had while laying and does not regain it as easily as 
she would in the first stage of the broody spell, conse- 
quently she will not do much scratching and the organs 
will continue toward the dormant or dry state and a much 
longer time is required before the hen will come to the 
laying point again. If the hen was taken from the nest 
as soon as the spell came on and handled as directed it 
will start her laying several days sooner than any other 
way. 

A hen allowed to stay on the nest three or four days be- 
fore being put in the pen is liable to continue her drying 
up state until she reaches her full dry state. If that con- 
dition should be reached you could not expect the hen to 
resume laying again before three or four weeks. To il- 
lustrate the beneficial effect of exercise an experiment was 
made by making a pen 6x6 feet, the floor covered with 6 
inches of chafi'. a nest with setting of eggs in it was 
placed in one corner and the hen allowed to set. The feed 
was well mixed in the chaff so that she had to scratch for 
every grain of ff^od. 

-The hen hatched a full brood of chickens, and the sec- 
ond day after hatching she started to lay, and while 
mothering the chickens laid thirty-two eggs. This is, of 



DonH Kill the Laying Tien 51 

course, a rare ease, but is proof that exercise will bring 
about egg development 



HOW EGGS CAN BE PRODUCED IN WINTER AND 

SOME OF NATURE'S LAWS REGARDING 

EGG DEVELOP]\IENT EXPLAINED. 

It is known that some poultry raisers are successful in 
procuring winter eggs and others fail. Investigation 
shows that care plays an important part, hence there l^^ 
no question but that by knowing the necessary conditions 
and supplying them winter ^gg production will be greatly 
increased. 

It is not Y\\y intention to give a full course of study on 
this subject, but rather mention only a few important sui?- 
gestions, indicating how i'^g^ are developed. Under 
other heads I have only given hints on some points of egg 
development. Some of these points I have tried to make 
as plain as possible, and I believe the reader has become 
familiar with the reason why the laying organs go into 
the dry or dormant state, or develop into the laying 
state. 

But there are other laws controlling Qgg, develop- 
ment. In winter egg development is unnatural, as is 
shown by the fact that no wild birds build their nests or 
lay eggs at this time, hence we say that this season is the 
unnatural time. On the other hand, spring is the natural 
time; it is when the days are warm and balmy acid the 



52 Don't Kill IJic LinjUuj Hen 



temperatuie more equal that birds and animals iu their 
natural slate choose to reproduce. 

When we plan to produce eggs in winter we meddle 
with natural laws and often get our hen into trouble 
which cannot be mended. When the laying organs take 
on a dormant state it is for a purpose, and a natural time 
should elapse before they should be asked to produce 
again. But in our animal keeping w^e cannot always wait 
upon nature, and I have sought to find how to encourage 
nocture in doing this task which everyone wnll recognize 
will add much in increasing our poultry profits. 

My :ftrst plan was to study carefully the conditions 
favorable to egg development and then seek how to repro- 
duce these conditions, and I believe I have found the most 
important of these conditions. 

It should be remem])ered that Qgg, development starts 
from a stimulated or more active circulation tlirough the 
body, and that circulation is developed by activity or by 
the hen having to scratch or hunt for food. I have 
proved, to my own satisfaction at least, that egg devel- 
opment follows a stimulated circulation as surely as 
night follows day. The circulation of the l)ody i;? first 
and the circulation of the q^;!:,^:^ producing organ? being 
secondary develops only after the first is properly sup- 
plied. The secondary circulation depends for its nour- 
ishment upon the body, or the first circulation. 

We will suppose that e^^ development started during 
a warm spell in winter, and under these conditions would 
continue as long as the warm spell lasted and food condi- 



Don't Kill llic lAtifinq lien 53 

tions were right, but if a cold spell came on then more 
nourishment would be required to supply heat for the 
body and the second circulation would suli'er. On the 
other hand, if the body was protected from the cold the 
extra circulation would not have been required, and, con- 
sequently, egg production would not have been retarded. 

Those who have followed animal nature know that 
when an animal is in perfect health it does not take much 
to disturb this condition, and therefore it will be readily 
understood that every time Qg^ development is disturbed 
or retarded the chances for recovery or change to the de- 
sired condition will be slower, as it is unnatural to thus 
play with nature. 

If Qg^ development was only in its first stages and a 
long cold spell came on the nourishment from the food 
would tend to produce heat in the body first, and by thus 
robbing the Qg^ producing organs they would return to 
the dormant state. This retarding or going backwards 
would weaken the Qg^ ovaries and it would be harder to 
start Qgg development. If q^^ development had started 
and for any reason be drawn back more than once or 
twice the most developed germs would most likely wither 
and die. (See cut No. 12 and Nos. 6 and 7.) Note care- 
fully the healthy and unhealthy developing state, cuts 
Nos. 6 and 7 showing the healthy and cut No. 12 the un- 
healthy state, as well as blasted eggs and dead germs 
which were undoubtedly caused by the circulation being 
withdrawn from them. This state causes a disordered 
condition of the organs, and Qgg development would not 




Fig. 12 
Showing Developing Organs With Ovary in a Disordered State. 
-Dead Eggs. I..— Live Eggs. C— Oviduct. 




Fig. 13 

Showing- Laying Organs in Full Dormant State, Showing a Few Dead 
Kgg Germs— First Stages of Disorder. 

D.— Dead Eggs L — Live Eggs. O.— Oviduct. 



56 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

be likely to start again until very late next spring, and 
even then the process would be very slow and the hen 
would be unprofitable. 

Of course these conditions show considerable variation 
from a slight disorder to the organ that is almost com- 
pletely destroyed. See cut No. 13, showing the organ in 
full dormant state, with only a small per cent of dead 
egg germs. 

If egg development should be quite well advanced be- 
fore the retarding takes place the entire circulation would 
not be so apt to be withdrawn, and unless the weather 
conditions were unusually severe they would only retard 
development and hold in preserve until more favorable 
conditions that would start egg development again. Of 
course, if the unfavorable conditions w^ere to continue too 
long the egg producing organs of the fowl would be im- 
paired and diseased. Cut No. 16 shows dead eggs on 
ovary of hen which had passed through a severe case of 
roup. 

If the retarded state was caused by only a slight 
change in the weather and the suggestions for promoting 
activity were not followed the probabilities are that the 
hen would tend to take on fat instead of egg development 
getting a s'tart. Hence we see that under these condi- 
tions more care would be necessary to make the hen exer- 
cise in order to get eggs. 

Thus it will be seen that if egg development has started 
in the winter season care should be taken that the condi- 
tions are not disturbed or the poultryman will be the 
loser 



DonH Kill the Lai/ing Hen 57 

One or two other points should be carefully kept in 
mind. In giving the first feed in the morning care should 
be exercised that the quantity is not too great so that 
the hens will not get all they wish and go into some 
corner where they think it is warmer and huddle to- 
gether, and sit there suffering with the cold. Egg devel- 
opment cannot take place under these conditions , in f aci, 
this method will do just the opposite, and the hen will 
either take on fat to protect the body or egg development 
will be retarded. 

The same result would take place if hens were allowed 
to roost in cold quarters or allowed to sit or be housed 
in damp houses or if allowed to walk around on frost or 
snow; chilling their feet is sure to retard egg develop- 
ment. 'It has been found that hens will lay well in winter 
in houses that were quite open, or open-front houses, if 
the roosting places were comfortable. Of course to get 
the best results under these conditions the hens must be 
hardened by having to work for their feed, also, the 
house being very open, they become hardened earlier in 
the season and more gradual; and they must have the 
proper kind of food, and be, generally speaking, well 
cared for. 

To put the winter egg proposition in a nut shell is to 
say: Furnish good ventilation, well protected roosting 
quarters, plenty of litter in the scratching room to keep 
the hens busy during the day working for their feed, ex- 
ercising care so that the hen will be protected from un- 
favorable changes of weather, and, in addition, feed with 



58 DoriH Kill the Layiiuj Hen 

a well balanced ration, including meat and some kind of 
green food. The most common mistake made in win- 
ter feeding is that too much feed is given to them at one 
time, Avhich, being picked up readily, soon satisfies 
their appetites and they have no desire to do more 
scratching, which is the very thing that tends to start and 
sustain Qgg development. The last feed at night should 
be sufficient to entirely satisfy their appetites, and an ex- 
amination of their crops should be made from time to 
time to see if they are well filled at roosting time ; if not, 
they may be craving for green feed or some change that 
they are not getting, or may not have had a sufficient 
quantity of feed, as hens will not lay in winter on short 
rations. 

In order to help the poultry raiser to more fully realize 
the importance of providing plenty of litter in the scratch- 
ing sheds and quarters to keep the hens busy working 
for their feed the larger part of the day I will cite an 
instance where a farmer and poultry raiser by a mere 
accident made a very interesting experiment in the way 
of proving what scratching for feed will do in producing 
the much-sought-after winter eggs. Two hens of the 
flock in the latter part of the season stole their nests in 
some shady spot, laid a batch of eggs, set and brought into 
the yard two nice little broods of chicks. As the weather 
was beginning to be quite cold it was thought best to 
house the hens and broods in quite a good sized empty 
wood house that had quite a deep litter of chips and bark 
over the entire floor space. A quantity of wheat was well 



Don't Kill the Laying Hen 59 



scattered over the partially rotten chips and bark. Hens 
and broods thrived under the care. Nothing was thought 
of the care tiie broods were getting until one day a few 
weeks after the hens had been placed in the quarters eggs 
were found in an old stove that sat in one corner of the 
building and had been provided with nesting material for 
hens to lay in the past season. However, these two hens 
produced eight and ten eggs a week all through the first 
part of winter, while seventy or eighty hens in the general 
flock did not produce an ii\^^. The feed of the general 
flock was shelled corn and oats that was dealt out to them 
in a body in front of their roosting quarters, as is the 
usual way that farmers feed their flock. Now, the lesson 
learned is a valuable one. The secret of these hens pro- 
ducing the amount of eggs they did at the time of year 
was in the amount of scratching they were forced to do 
to find the feed for themselves and their thriving broods. 
It can be seen that the hens had an extra amount of 
work to do, which took them the larger part of the 
day to accomplish ; as the floor space was large it required 
an extra amount of litter to be removed to procure the 
amount of feed required, so had no time for sitting around 
and getting chilled and cold, as did the outside hens. 1 
have stated Ihat a stimulated circulation would start egg 
development and the same condition would sustain it. 
This lesson should be all that is required to impress upon 
the mind of the poultry raiser that is wondering how win- 
ter eggs can be had to pay feed bills and extra change 
for profit. 



60 DonH Kill the Lay big Hen 

HOW THE LAYING ORGANS ARE AFFECTED WHEN 
THE HENS ARE INFESTED WITH VERMIN. 

There is no doubt that vermin on poultry cause more 
loss in the poultry industry than all other causes combined 
and that no one has heretofore fully computed this loss. 

In this chapter I hope to give you some idea of how 
this pest alfects the laying organs. 

We have seen that the laying organs are very sensitive 
to surrounding conditions, and it follows that a hen in- 
fested with lice will surely be retarded, as a hen in this 
condition cannot be comfortable and the loss of blood 
will seriously diminish her vitality. If the hen was in lay- 
ing condition when she became infested she would prob- 
ably lay out her batch of eggs, but it would require a 
much longer time and the number be much less; and no 
new batch would start until the vermin were destroyed. 

One summer I dissected six hens out of a flock of 
twenty-five that had been allowed to roost in quarters that 
were alive with mites, and from Avhich flock no egg had 
been received for nearly two months. In these six hens 
all the laying organs were in a dormant state. The re- 
gaining hens were put in clean quarters, well fed, and in 
from eighteen to twenty days all but two were laying. 
These two hens were dissected and were found to be bar- 
ren. This is only a sample case and is no doubt a parallel 
of thousands of cases among our flocks of poultry. 

With these remarks it will not take much figuring to 
estimate the losses from these sources and therefore all 
can see the importance of keeping this pest down. 



Don^f Kill the Laying Ben bl 



HOW TO AVOID WINTERING HENS THAT ARE 
LIKELY TO BE POOR WINTER LAYERS. 

No doubt the most puzzling question that confronts all 
poultrymen is, Which hens shall I keep? Some have be- 
come disgusted with hens in their second season and do 
not keep them over; keeping only pullets for winter egg 
production. 

I believe this is a wise decision, especially if there have 
been enough pullets raised for this purpose. But, manage 
as we will, there are times when we have to depend upon 
yearling hens for our winter eggs, so I will try to give 
you some pointers on how to pick the best winter layers. 

I have stated elsewhere that hens having weak laying 
organs would be the last hens to start laying in either 
winter or spring, and the last of all the worst of all. Like- 
wise these hens would be the first to stop laying in the 
summer or early fall. 

Supposing the flock are all about the same age. If 
tl ey are old hens they might not start to moult until late 
in the fall if their laying organs are in good working or- 
der ; if not, they would moult much earlier, and in neither 
case would make good winter layers; the late moulting 
hen would linger all through the winter before getting all 
of her new feathers. These, of course, would not be prof- 
itable winter layers. Hens that Avere only one year old 
would shed their feathers much earlier and have their full 
new coat before the cold weather came. These hens, if 
their feed and surrounding conditions were right, would. 



6-2 Don't Kill the Laying Hen 

after a rest of one or two mouths, start egg development, 
provided the ovaries were not impaired from any cause. 
I have shown how to determine when egg development has 
started, and hens which have made a good start in fall or 
early winter would be those which had good, strong lay- 
ing organs. With proper care such hens should lay all 
winter. 

As the poor layei*s stop first, by a little care and watch- 
ing they can be selected from the flock and disposed of. if 
desired, and especially all over-fat hens. I have noticed 
also that some hens during moult seem to take on what X 
call a law-state-dormant. Such hens are usually found 
with their lay bones much closer together than the hens 
which take on a good, healthy dormant state. (See cut 
No. 3. showing strong dormant state: cut No. 14 showing 
low dormant state. "i It seems that the more dormant the 
hen becomes the more contraction there is. unless the hen 
should be over-fat, and it follows that such hens are 
slower in starting than the ones which have their lay 
bones more open. 

Another point I have noticed: the ver\' hens which 
seem to start the moult the earliest and get over it the 
quickest are most likely to be the poorest layers in the 
flock, as if the hen were not laying she would have a sur- 
plus of nourishment which could go to produce feathers. 
On the other hand, a good laying hen's surplus substance 
is mostly taken up in the production of eegs. thus holding 
back the moulting. This would be a very reliable sign, but 
with this exception. Some hens when thpy havp laid out 



Don't Kill the Laying Hen 



a batch of eggs always want to set. and if allowed to set 
for a few days when the season is well advanced and then 
are broken up the organs are quite likely to take on the 
full dormant state, and the hen may start shedding her 
feathers instead of starting egg development. Such a hen 
would get her new feathers veiy rapidly and after she 
had regained her normal state of strength and vigor would 
start egg development and no doubt make a good winter 
layer. 

It is well to mark the first hens which come out with a 
new coat and. after they have had a little time to recuper- 
ate, see if there are any signs of egg development. For 
the last two falls I have observed this in my flock, and 
those which got their new coat first I found upon examina- 
tion that the ovaries were in a disordered state. I also 
believe that the hens which start to shed early are the 
last to start laying in the spring, although I do not claim 
Ihat this is an infallible sign, as my observations have not 
l)een extensive enough along this line to know just how 
far it can be relied upon. 

HOW OVEKFEEDIXG BEFOKE EGG DEVELOP- 
MENT STARTS MAY EEDUCE THE 
EGG PRODUCTIOX. 

I shall suppose that it is well understood that after the 
season's laying is completed and the moulting season 
comes on the laying organs go into the dry state and re- 
main thus for from one to three months, accordinff to cir- 



64 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

cumstances. Good laying hens will often lay until the 
moulting has well advanced, and then as a larger number 
of pin feathers start, requiring all the surplus nourish- 
ment, the egg development ceases. Quick moulting re- 
duces the system very rapidly, and the laying organs take 
on a very low state. Hence when the moult is over the 
recuperation is correspondingly slow. Under these cir- 
cumstances more than ordinary care would be necessary 
to start Qgg development. As this period is the most crit- 
ical time poultry raisers should be careful not to overfeed. 
It is a mistake to think that by feeding we can force this 
process faster than nature intended. Over-feeding 
at the time will tend to produce fat, as when the feathers 
are fully grown and the hen not producing eggs to take 
up the surplus substances, consequently is liable to be- 
come over-fat. Much better results will be obtained with 
''more work and less feed" methods. This is especially 
true with year-old hens, as they take on fat very readily 
at this time, and it is at the expense of e^^ development, 
as it is more natural to put on fat at this time of the year. 
On the other hand, if the hen is made to exercise to get 
her food she would reach the laying point much quicker 
and after the laying period had arrived she could stand 
more feed, as more substance would be re(iuired to pro- 
duce eggs. As %g^ production groAvs the tendency to pro- 
duce fat would be less. I do not mean to say that the hen 
at this period must be starved, but rather they should be 
made to work hard for what they get. 



BonH Kill the Laying Hen 65 

See cut No. 15, showing dormant organs in the fat hen 
as well as in the lighter hen. 

The hen shown in Cut No. 14 was killed while in the 
moulting stage ; specimen shown in cut No. 15 was killed 
a month or two after the new coat of feathers were fully- 
grown. The organ was found to be in a very low dormant 
state, while the body contained a superfluous amount of 
fat. We will suppose No. 14 to be the same hen in 
the latter part of the moulting stage and the 
body in rather a run down state, as is usual in the moult- 
ing stage; also the laying organs in a low dormant 
state. After the coat of feathers were fully grown and 
the body had got back to its normal state of health and 
weight, egg development could or would have taken place 
if the hen had been forced to do lots of scratching for the 
feed she got, but as she could get the feed by little 
scratching the higher state of circulation was not reached 
and consequently the surplus substance was deposited in 
fat. If egg development could not start or did not start 
when the hen reached a normal state of condition the 
chances would be very much lessened to start egg develop- 
ment after the hen had taken on a superfluous amount of 
fat. If egg development did take place later in the sea- 
son or nearer the natural season for laying the develop- 
ment would be very slow, and when the full laying stage 
was reached the hen would produce but very few eggs. 
The laying condition of such hens can be better known by 
the crop test that has been previously explained, or test 
No. 3, than they could by tests Nos. 1 and 2. Do not take 




Fig. 14 

L-D Shows Ovary in Low Dormant State. 
O. — Dormant Oviduct. 




Fig. 15 

L-D Shows Ovary in Low Dormant State. 
F. — Superfluous Fat. 



68 DotiH Kill the Laying Hen 

it that over-feeding is the cause of all over-fat hens, as 
where there are only a small portion of the flock over-fat 
it is a sure proof that some disorder of the laying organs 
has taken place, as will be illustrated and explained under 
another head. 

THE LAYING HEN SHOULD BE EDUCATED— WHEN, 
HOW AND WHERE? 

Chicks only two or three days old show very promi- 
nently one of their instincts by scratching or trying to, 
even though they should be on a smooth board with noth- 
ing but feed on it. By our present day methods when we 
supply everything they need for nourishment in troughs 
so they can get it without effort, this instinct is, in a cer- 
tain sense, undeveloped. Fowls brought up under such 
methods, without exercise, will not be so hardy and will 
not have the scratching instinct fully developed, which 
experience has shown is a very important essential for 
egg development. 

There is no question but that exercise helps to start egg 
production, and if we would produce an egg-laying 
strain we must develop the chicks by a method which will 
exercise this instinct as well as all others. 

Therefore to produce eggs the method to follow is to 
start early in the fall and feed the hens and pullets in a 
good, deep litter, or, rather, start in with a shallow litter 
and increase the amount and thereby educate them to 
work for their food. Such treatment -will make the fowls 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 69 

hardier, and when cold weather comes on they will be 
better able to resist it and will make better and earlier 
layers. 

HOW TO SEPARATE POOR LAYERS FROM THE 

GOOD WITHOUT HANDLING, OR HOW THEY 

WILL SEPARATE THEMSELVES. 

Where a large number of hens are kept it may require 
more time to make an examination of each hen than some 
of our poultrymen can spare, and they would allow the 
unprofitable one to remain in the tiock. 

To those wishing to dispose of the poor or non-layers I 
offer the following sugestions, whicL I feel sure can be 
easily followed and which will prove satisfactory. 

Let me first make a little explanation. A hen that is 
laying nearly every day will be in a prime condition and a 
high state of health, consequently has a strong circulation, 
quick action, good appetite, good digestion, etc. All her 
instincts are in full development, and the nourishment 
necessary to produce an egg almost every day gives her 
a great appetite; hence she is ever on the alert for food 
and always very active. The poor or non-layer is the 
exact opposite in her actions. 

All that is necessary to make this plan a success is a lit- 
tle interest, close observation and some tact. It should 
be understood that the majority of the flock must be in 
a laying condition when the separation is to be made. 

First Plan — The following plan is the best for winter or 



70 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

cold weather, but will work any time of the year, though 
not so positive. In order to carry it out successfully it 
will be necessary to have a scratching shed attached to the 
roosting quarters. A liberal amount of litter should be 
kept in this shed and all the grain should be fed in this 
litter. As soon as the hens learn to scratch for their food 
you can make the test, The early morning is the besb 
time, just as the fowls are leaving the roost. They should 
have had a good feed the night before, and after they 
have gone to roost some feed should be placed in the litter 
as usual. 

The attendant should place himself where the fowls can- 
not see him, as he might disturb them from their natural 
movements. Now watch closely the fowls, and those 
Arhich are the first to leave the roost will be the best lay- 
ers, the next best will follow and the poorest ones will 
come off last. If you are keeping poultry for profit close 
the entrance of the scratching shed to these laggards. 
There may not be many, but there will surely be some. 
If you could watch these last ones you will see that they 
did not leave the roost for some time, and even when they 
did they would not be in a hurry and would not seem to 
be hungry. You will not make any mistake if you coop 
these laggards up and send them to market, as they will 
in all probability be in fine condition for the block, pro- 
viding roup or disease has not broken out among them. 

The above plan works best in a healthy flock, and it is 
supposed that these are hens which have laid at least ont 
season. The only contingency would be to watch for 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 71 

sickness, as roup or other diseases might be responsible 
for such logish actions. 

Or, if this plan takes more time than can be spared, a 
few of the non-layers could be caught by themselves by 
making an effort to get into the roosting quarters just as 
the last of the hens were leaving the roost. Simply close 
these laggards in, and upon making an examination and 
applying the test the poor layers can be selected. It 
may take a few days to determine these correctly, but it 
can surely be done by this method. 

Second Plan — Throw the feed outside the roosting 
quarters the first thing in the morning. After this is 
done drive the hens out, step out of sight for a short time 
and watch proceedings for a few minutes, and you will 
find that the non-layers, because of their poor appetite, 
have picked up a few grains and gone back to their 
roosting or lounging quarters. Shut them in and you 
will find upon applying the test that you have trapped the 
non-layers. The examination may show that some which 
had started egg development had returned, but will be 
good proof that such hens are making very slow progress 
in egg development, and if it is desired to dispose of some 
of the fiock such hens would very likely not prove to be 
good layers and could be disposed of. 

Third Plan. — The following plan is very satisfactory 
during the spring and summer months. The best time to 
carry it out is in the morning, when a slow, drizzling rain 
is falling. The fowls should have been kept in their 
.quarters and been given some feed, after which let them 



72 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

out. The hens which are laying will not miss the oppor- 
tunity and will readily venture out for the earthworms to 
satisfy their hunger for meat food. The non-layers and 
those in which the Qgg development is progressing slowly 
will remain indoors and may thus be locked up and sepa- 
rated. If the door had been left open so they could go 
out as they leave the roost and they had had time to sat- 
isfy their appetite and had gone in again to dry their 
feathers, a close observation will show that some of them 
have very wet feathers and others have feathers not so 
wet. The former are the best layers and the latter not so 
good, as their appetite was not so keen and they did not 
stay out long. Some will not be wet at all, and these will 
be found to be the barren ones or non-layers. It is sel- 
dom that such will venture out in any storm for food 
unless they had been for some time without it. 

In all of these tests the hens should be disturbed as 
little as possible. I feel sure that these methods will be 
found effective and that any poultryman will find that the 
time and effort is well worth the trouble. Keep your 
flock free from the drones and your profit will be larger. 
If anyone is in doubt about these methods they can keep 
the suspicious ones by themselves for a short time and 
try them again, apply the tests and thereby learn to sep- 
arate the layers from the non-layers accurately and 
quickly. 



Don^t Kill the Laying Hen 73 



HOW TO BUY HENS IN THE FORE PART OF WIN- 
TER THAT WOULD MAKE GOOD WINTER 
LAYERS AND SELL THEM AGAIN AT A 
GOOD PROFIT IN THE SPRING. 

A valuable feature of the Potter system of selecting 
hens, and one from which the practical poultry raiser 
can make a good profit, is that of buying hens in the late 
fall or early winter that are put on the market and then 
culling out the layers and non-layers. At this time of the 
year poultry raisers generally and a good many farmers 
make it a point to get rid of their surplus stock. Anyone 
not knowing the system will, of course, crate up and send 
away a certain number of his flock. Many of the hens 
may be wel developed or in full laying condition, and 
anyone buying up these birds and applying the system 
has opportunity for making good money. With but 
few exceptions in the month of December the market 
price for poultry is at the lowest point of the year, and 
after the first of the year the price is steadily going up 
and in early spring or late winter the price has nearly 
doubled. Buy them in at the lowest figure and at the time 
of year that hens have their new coat of feathers fully 
grown, having been grown at the expense of the other 
fellow, or the man that sold them. The hens are either 
ready to put on flesh or develop a new crop of eggs. A 
portion of them may be well developed, and some very 
close to the laying point. If he had known their true con- 



74 Don't Kill the Laying Hen 

dition he would no sooner dispose of them at the mar- 
ket price than he would of a cow that was just 
ready to come in fresh at the market price of a dry 
cow. However, if one is equipped to handle the fowls 
and follows out the directions that have been given and 
will no foolishly buy fowls showing the signs of dis- 
ease, or heavy hens, he can make a good profit on his 
investment. It is not often that commission men will 
allow the hens to be sorted, but an examination could 
be made, and if a good per cent of tlieji seem to be 
in a well advanced state of egg development the coop or 
lot could be bought and those showing a well developed 
stage sortea out and the others either sold or fed for 
market later on. 



HOW ROUP AND SIMILAR DISEASES AFFECT THE 

LAYING ORGANS OF HENS; ALSO HOW THE 

LAYING ORGANS BECOME DISABLED 

BY OTHER CAUSES. 

Illustrated with Original Photographs. 

Roup is the most common disease of poultry and is 
very contagious. If it gets a start in a flock it soon 
spreads, and the whole flock will be more or less afi:ected. 
It is a winter disease. Damp and unprotected quarters 
are all that is necessary to give the disease a start. 



Don't Kill the Laying Hen 75 

When the disease is allowed to linger in the flock it be- 
comes more severe ; also some hens have it harder than 
others. If hens take it either in a developing or full lay- 
ing condition it not only checks egg growth, but is also 
very weakening to the laying organs and quite often they 
are entirely destroyed from the effect of the disease. 
In others it may only throw them into a more or less disor- 
dered state; it depends largely on the state of the 
organs and the severity of the case. If the organs were in 
a full dormant state the disease would not disable them, 
at least to any great extent, but if they have taken on a 
developing stage or reached the full laying point, and the 
disease lingers too long, the laying organs will start to 
dry up and become dormant, and this means that the live 
circulation that was passing through them will all be 
absorbed back into the system. Eggs that were too far 
advanced cannot go back and take on the dormant state, 
and will thus have to wither and die. 

Cut No, 16 shows the laying organs of a hen that had a 
severe case of roup in the winter while in full laying 
condition. (See cut No. 9, showing a healthy, full laying 
state, as the hen shown in cut No. 16 was, when taken with 
the disease.) As she had a severe attack of roup, which lin- 
gered too long, the circulation was entirely drawn away 
from the eggs and organs. The eggs had to wither and die, 
and the organ take on the full dormant condition. After 
a while the hen recovered and in late spring started to de- 
velop a new batch of eggs. Now, by observing cut No. 16 
a cluster of six or seven dead eggs can be seen marked D; 




Fig. 16 
Showing Organs in a Disordered State. 




^ 



Fig. 17 

Showing Ovary With a Large Number of Dead Eggs, in an 
Extreme Disordered State. 



78 Don*t Kill the Laying Ben 

also under the cluster a few live eggs can be seen marked 
L, which are the eggs that started to develop in late 
spring. The organs being in a very much disordered state 
the eggs developed slowly and did not reach a laying point 
until the latter part of August, and then three very small 
eggs were laid in two weeks ; then the hen was killed and 
found as shown. 

This hen was kept under the trap nest with others in 
the flock. She would often be found in the nest, but 
never leave an egg to be kept record of. During this 
time the hen showed by tests Nos. 1 and 2 to be in a fairly 
good laying condition, and comb a good red color. When- 
ever the crop test, or test No. 3, was made it was always 
found wanting, not more than half the amount in it at 
roosting time that a fairly good laying hen should have. 

With the crop test the hen could have easily been de- 
tected. If this hen had been examined in the early part of 
the laying season by tests Nos. 1 and 2 they would have 
shown that she was not in a developing stage, or, if she 
had made a start, the development would have been slow 
in comparison to a hen with organs in a healthy state, and 
she would therefore have been mistrusted and culled from 
the flock. If this hen had not been killed no doubt in a 
short time the live eggs that are seen would have started 
to wither and die and the organ take on the dormant state 
and would have looked similar to cut No. 17, but with a 
less number of dead eggs. 

A remarkable thing is that the live eggs as seen in cut 
No. 16 could be under development for three or four 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen T9 

months and be kept in a state of preservation, neither 
dying or reaching the laying point. It shows the work- 
ings of nature, and proves how long hens can hold eggs in 
a developing state and not be able to reach the laying 
point and also look as though they were laying hens. 

I have given quite a full explanation of this specimen in 
order that the reader may knoAV how such conditions are 
brought about. This is only one out of a very large va- 
riety of disordered conditions that exist and could be 
shown. Other specimens that are shown I could not give 
space for a full description of, but they will give a fairly 
good idea of the variety of diseases that the laying organs 
of hens are subject to. 

Roup breaking out among the laying hens is one of 
the greatest causes of disorders. The next cause is due 
to forcing hens to lay or trying to get them to lay in win- 
ter, which is entirely unnatural and out of season. The 
warm spells and good feed starts egg development, cold 
and sudden changes check development, and, as has been 
stated, throws the organs out of their natural conditions 
and the consequence is that it has and does produce a 
large per cent of non- and poor laying hens. With such a 
variety of causes it is no wonder that there are such a 
large per cent of unprofitable hens kept by poultry raisers 
who are not able to learn their condition and cull them 
from the flock. 

Cut No. 17 shows a large number of dead eggs hang- 
ing to the ovary. When the hen was killed there were 
three or four live eggs trying to develop and in different 




Fig. 18 
Showing Oviduct Entirely Filled With Dead Yolks. 






^ 



Fig. 19 

Showing Oviduct Containing Six or Eight Dead Yolks. 



82 Don't Kill the Laying Hen 

stages of development. In handling the specimen the live 
eggs were broken off and are not shown. However, the 
condition is remarkable. The body was filled with dead 
eggs and a few live ones still trying to grow, showing 
and proving that the organ will try to produce as long as 
there is a particle of life left in it. It is like the tree 
that has only one partially live limb on it, as it will throw 
out leaves in spring and try to fruit or make growth, only 
soon to wither and die. The specimen is shown to give 
an idea of an extreme condition. Similar conditions exist 
and are developing in nearly all seasons of the year in 
numerous numbers and in all stages of severity, from 
only a very few small dead egg germs that are found on 
the ovary when the organ is in a full dormant state. No- 
tice cut No. 13, showing small dead germs, which in- 
dicates only a slight disorder, but this may be only the 
start of a much greater disorder, as shown in cut 
No. 17, and by reason of the diseased state or disor- 
dered condition the eggs wither and die at their different 
stages of development. Live germs would continue to start 
to make a growth and fail to reach maturity as did the 
previous ones, and the chances for an ova to reach a full 
developed stage become less and less until the organ 
reaches the condition as shown. The real condition of the 
organ cannot be told before the hen is killed and exam- 
ined, but that she is not producing eggs can be known in 
ways that I have described. 

*Cut No. 18 shows the oviduct filled with dead yolks 
of a hen, in her first laying year, that I culled out of 



Do7iH Kill the Laying Ben 83 

my flock in the latter part of the laying season. The ovi- 
duct, as has been stated, is from 18 to 24 inches long when 
unfolded and stretched out. In the specimen shown the 
entire length of the duct is filled with dead and dried up 
3^olks, no doubt to the number of two or three dozen, or 
perhaps more. However, it seems quite improbable tnat 
such a condition could exist and quite surprising to 
know that a hen could live with such conditions and still 
look as though she might be laying. I find similar condi- 
tions quite frequently, but this is the extreme. 

Cut No. 19 shows a similar state, the oviduct containing 
only six or eight dead yolks, marked D. In the center of 
the lower cluster will be seen a darker looking substance ; 
it is one of the dead yolks taken out of the duct and placed 
so that it would show ; just below the ovary is another one 
that was taken out, marked D, showing darker than the 
main body of the ovary. In this specimen, as well as the 
previous one shown, the oviduct was entirely dead as far 
as its producing power is concerned, while the ovary has 
but little life left, or a few partially live germs. Had the 
hen not been killed those germs that still had some life 
left in them would, when the most favorable laying season 
came, take on some development, but would soon wither 
and die, one after the other, until there was no life left. 
Such or similar conditions can be known by the undevel- 
oped state of the hen, either in early spring or any time 
when hens should be laying, by applying tests which have 
been given. 

The condition as shown in Figure 18 proves that one 




Fig. 20 

Showing Fully Developed Egg in a Dormant Oviduct 
(An Egg-Bound Hen). 



DonH Kill the Lnyinrj Hen ^5 

part of the laying organ can be in a healthy state and con- 
tinue to do its x-»^rt of the work by deveiop>ing the full- 
grown yolks and jjassing them one by one to the oviduct 
for it to comx^lete the work or do its jjart ; but that part of 
the organ being disabled could not do its jjart more than 
to receive the yolks and continue to receive them until it 
was filled, when the manufacture of yolks had to cease 
and the entire organ take on the dormant state. If only 
one yolk should enter the duct and the organ not be able 
to complete the ^vork it would end all future egg produc- 
tion. 

There is no sure w^ay of knowing the real cause of the 
first start of such a disorder; inflammation may have set 
in from some cause, cutting off circulation from that part 
of the organs. However, whatsoever caused it, the condi- 
tion exists in a greater or less degree, and they never get 
better, but constantly grow worse. This sfjecimen, before 
it was detected and killed, looked to be in a fairly good 
and healthy condition, and would have been taken by any 
poultry raiser to be a laying hen, but on making an exam- 
ination this unnatural state was easily noticeable by the 
enlarged and hard condition that exhsted; also the tests 
would show the hen was not laying. The only thing to 
do is to become familiar with such hens as contain these 
unnatural conditions and cull them from the flock. 

Specimen No. 20 shows the laying organs of an egg- 
bound hen. The oviduct contains a fully developed egg, 
but the organs are in a full dormant condition. There are 
several conditions that may exist that keep a hen from 




Fig. 21 

Showing the Organs of a Hen That Was Supposed to Have Laid Two 
Seasons, but Undoubtedly Had Never Laid an Egg. 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 87 

delivering an egg. It may be caused from over laxness 
of the oviduct, allowing the weight of the egg to misplace 
it, and another cause is an over-contracted state. Speci- 
mens 18 and 19 might be called another condition of egg- 
bound hens. However, specimen No. 20 has a fully de- 
veloped egg, bound in the oviduct. A plausible reason for 
this is that the entire organ was not in a healthy condition 
when the hen was laying, and consequently she laid 
infrequently. Another reason is it is usual and quite nat- 
ural for hens to lay slower at the latter end of the batch, 
and the slower they lay the less circulation passes through 
the organs, hence the contracted state follows. As the 
last egg of the batch developed very slowly the contrac- 
tion became too pronounced and the egg could not be de- 
livered. The contraction continued until the organ 
reached the full dormant condition with the egg still in 
the duct. Judging from the unusual number of dead 
egg germs or ovas on the organ, it is safe to conclude that 
the hen carried the egg in this condition an entire sea- 
son, and might have carried it a full year. The condition 
of the organ shows that the ovary had just enough life left 
in it to develop the egg germ, but no further development 
could take place and the organ continued to throw out 
the ovas until the superfluous number was reached, which 
must have taken the entire laying season. This hen could 
have easily been discovered by my tests by her contracted 
and dormant condition, and yet her general appearance 
did not indicate that anything was wrong. 
Specimen No. 21 shows the organ of a hen that was 




Fig. 22 

Showing a Mass of Dead Egg, in All Shapes and Sizes, 
Hanging to the Ovary. 




Fig. 23 

Showing a Mass of Dead Egg, in All Shapes and Sizes. 
Hanging to the Ovary, 



90 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 

supposed to have laid two seasons, but undoubtedly the 
hen had never laid an egg, as the organ was unnaturally- 
grown from the first. The two marks on the right, marked 
L, pointing to two small ovas apparently seem to have 
come out from the back bone, and just under these two 
ovas is a lump of substance marked D that hung down, 
which was meant to be the ovary, but containing no germ 
life and entirely unnatural, and could never have devel- 
oped an egg. Mark O shows the dormant oviduct. F 
shows large accumulations of fat that would not have 
accumulated if the hen could have developed and laid. 
This hen always appeared to be in the pink of condition, 
but was easily detected by the use of my system. This 
shows and gives further proof that over-fat hens should 
be suspected and looked after. 

Speciments Nos. 22 and 23 show a mass of dead eggs 
hanging to the ovary, in all shapes and sizes. The hens 
containing them were selected from a flock of seven hens 
that had laid one season, but undoubtedly they had a dis- 
ordered or weakened condition to start with and con- 
stantly grew worse. No definite cause of this condition 
can be given, as no disease had attacked the flock as far 
as known The disorder may have started during the 
winter before or when the first batch of eggs started to 
develop, and a sudden change of weather came on and 
very suddenly checked all egg growth. Circulation was 
drawn back into the system, leaving a few withered and 
dead eggs on the organ. See cut 12, showing disorder 
and small dead egg on the organ and Nos. 22 and 23 may 



Don't Kill the Laying Hen 91 



have had a similar appearance at one time earlier in the 
state of the disorder. However, as I have stated before, 
a large variety of disorders exist, from a small disorder to 
an extreme condition where the organs are entirely de- 
stroyed. These hens were easily discovered, as the tests 
showed them to be only in a slight developing stage in 
early spring when all the others had developed to the lay- 
ing state. As previously stated, early spring or the latter 
part of winter is the best part of the season to make the 
examination. 

Specimen No. 24 shows the organs of a pullet culled 
out of my flock early in the spring. The organ was try- 
ing to develop, but making very slow progress, according 
to the tests, and also the pullet gave various other signs 
that egg development was not properly taking place. She 
never did much scratching for feed, and was often found 
sitting on the roost when others were out looking for feed. 
Any poultry raiser would have judged the pullet to be in 
fine laying condition from all outward appearance, line D 
showing dead eggs and line L pointing to live egg. The 
yolk was nearly full grown, which might in time have 
reached full development and been laid, but would have 
been very small, and because of the weak condition of the 
organ further egg development would have been doubtful. 
Specimen No. 25 shows laying organs of another hen 
taken out of the flock a little later in the season. It will 
be noticed that this organ has one live egg on left side 
marked L; all others shown are dead yolks that were 
well advanced before they withered and died. The largo 




Fig. 24 

Showing the Organs of a Pullet Which Were Not Properly 
Developing, 




Fig. 25 

Showing the Organs of a Hen TVhich, by Outward Appearance, Would 
Have Been Judged a Good Layer, but Was Not Laying. 





Fig. 26 

Showing a Fully Developed Organ. 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 95 

and light colored dead egg marked D very likely died first 
by taking on some unnatural growth, as it was deformed 
and oversized, and from the disordered condition othei- 
eggs trying to develop were affected from the unnatural 
condition, and not making further development had to 
wither and die, thus leaving no chance for the hen to 
produce any eggs. O shows oviduct trying to develop. 
This young hen was detected by tests given in the preced- 
ing chapters, but by outward appearance would have been 
taken for a good laying hen, proving that looks are de- 
ceiving. 

Specimen No. 26 shows a fully developed organ. On 
left side of organ can be seen a large and deformed dead 
yolk marked D. Other eggs above and to the right marked 
L, are in different stages of development, but were appar- 
ently in a healthy state when the hen was killed, which was 
done the next morning after she had become broody and 
had sat on the nest all night. She was killed to ascertain 
if any disorder was the cause of some hens laying small 
batches and becoming broody at short intervals. By 
turning to cut No. 11, which shows a perfectly healthy 
and natural state of an organ that has just delivered the 
last egg of the batch and the hen had become broody, it 
can be seen by these comparisons that specimen No. 26 
was not able to fully develop and lay out the full batch of 
eggs or the last four or five that had started to develop. 

A reasonable explanation is that the organ had taken on 
a diseased or weakened condition in the winter from some 
cause, and as the disorder grew worse and when the latter 




Fig. 27 
Showing Diseased Organs, 



DonH Kill ike Laying Hen 97 

end of this batch was reached the eggs ceased to develop 
and the broody condition came on. If the hen had not 
been killed and had been allowed to set, the live eggs seen 
would soon have withered and died; or even if the spell 
had been broken in the usual way they undoubtedly would 
have withered and died. Thus another cause of the ac- 
cumulation of dead eggs has been discovered. Also when 
hens have a disordered organ when the moulting season 
comes on and the last batch of the season is being laid, 
their condition being weakened and the growth of feath- 
ers drawing on the system for substance, helps to check 
egg growth, and consequently the last eggs of the batch 
cannot complete the development and they have to wither 
and die, leaving the organs in much worse condition than 
before. 

This explanation will help poultry raisers to under- 
stand why hens that have laid one or more seasons do not 
prove to be as good layers as the younger hens or pullets. 
It also helps the poultry raiser to more fully realize the 
importance of knowing how to detect hens having some 
disordered condition of the egg organs so as to be able to 
cull them from the flock. 

Specimen No. 27 was killed under the same condition 
as hen shown in No. 26. Notice the two live eggs shown 
marked L and the two eggs above marked L D. It can be 
seen that these two eggs are rough and full of blisters, 
caused by some disorder or disease of the organ, and 
were dying when the hen was killed. F showr heavy 
layers of fat, proving that the hen had not been laying 





Fig. 28 

Showing Organs of a Hen That Had Never Laid an Egg. 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 99 

prolifically, and the substance that would have gone into 
eggs was deposited in fat. This gives further proof that 
over-fat hens and hens that want to set often may be ex- 
pected to have disabled organs and should be examined 
and discarded. During the last season I killed and dis- 
sected a large number of hens that became broody often 
and found a large per cent of these hens with organs 
in various conditions. I found several that had a par- 
tially developed yolk ruptured and the substance leaking 
out and running around the others that were in a healthy 
state. No doub* hens having organs in this condition 
could not product my more eggs. 

Specimen No. 2b shows the organs of a hen that was 
killed the last of August and was about a year and a half 
old and had never laid an egg. She was kept under trap 
nest system for two or three months and would often be 
found trapped in the nest, but never leaving an egg. The 
hen was shipped to me about the middle of July and 
kept where she had a favorable chance to lay if she could. 
During this whole time the hen showed by test Nos. 1 and 
2 to be in a fairly good laying state, as she had become 
very fat. This fat and the egg developing condition made 
the tests very deceiving, but whenever the crop test was 
made it give full proof that she was not laying, as the 
small amount of feed that her crop would contain at 
roosting time was not a sufficient amount for any hen to 
be able to produce eggs. I believe this explanation will 
be valuable to the reader in many ways. 

In Figure 28, L points to eggs that were found when 





Fig. 29 

Sliowiiig Dead Organ of a Hen That Was Supposed to Have 
Laid Two Seasons. 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 101 

killed. D points to what apparently was a dead ovary; 
no more germs could be found on the organ, only those 
which are shown, two of them having developed to nearly 
full size. points to oviduct, which was found to be in 
an unnatural condition. 

Specimen No. 29 shows a dead organ of a hen that was 
culled out of a flock, marks showing dead eggs and dead 
oviduct. This was a hen that was supposed to have laid 
two or three seasons and may have laid the first season. 
She was discovered by the tests, which indicated her non- 
laying condition. 



102 DonH Kill the Laying Hen 



TEN WAYS TO SUSPECT HENS THAT ARE 
NOT LAYING 

THREE WAYS TO PROVE THEIR LAYING 
CONDITION 

1. The non-laying hen is the hizy hen. 

2. She is usually the last to leave the roost in the 
morning. 

3. She is always found in dry quarters on a rainy day. 

4. She has a poor appetite, and is the first to leave the 
morning feed. 

5. She seeks the shady spot in summer, and seldom 
leaves it. 

6. She usually has an abundance of fat. 

7. The comb may be off color, but this is not a safe sign. 

8. Suspect the hen that is narrow behind. 

9. She usually is the first to go to roost. The exception 
is the hen who has harvested a good crop of feed. 

10. The first to leave when the last feed of the day is 
given. Scatter feed in a long, narrow row to make 
this observation. 

The successful poultryman will be as sharp as a detec- 
tive and always on the lookout for suspects. When caught 
he will apply tests Nos. 1, 2 and 3, and hens failing to pass 
should be decapitated. 



A HISTORY 



OF 



EIGHT NON-LAYING 
BOBTAILED HENS 



AND 



ONE THAT WAS NOT BOBBED 

INCLUDING VALUABLE 
SCIENTIFIC FACTS REGARDING MOULTING 



A SUPPLEMENT TO 

Dont Kill The Laying- Hen 

BY 
THOS. F. POTTER 

COPYRIGHT APPLIED FOit 



CONTENTS 

Page 
Introduction to Supplement 3 

Illustration Showing Laying Organs of a Hen in Perfect 
Condition 4 

The Story of One Hen that was Not "Bobbed" 5 

The Story of the First Four Non-Laying Bobtailed Hens. . . 7 

The Other Four Non-Laying Bobtails 13 

How Hens Having Red Combs are Deceiving 17 

Forced Moulting Bad Business 22 

How the Laying Season can be Extended and Many More 
Eggs Obtained, or Why Hens Having Good Laying Or- 
gans Stop Laying Early in the Season 24 

Why the Flock Should be Properly Cared for in Order to 
Make a Correct Selection of the Poor and Non-Layers. . 25 

A Good Way to Mark Suspects 28 

Proof that No Mistake Has Been Made in the Selection of a 
Non-Layer, even though Found to Have a Few Live 
Yolks on the Ovary 29 



INTRODUCTION TO SUPPLEMENT. 

Havino: talked with many poultry raisers who have pur- 
chased my book, ''DonH Kill the Laying Hen,'' and by ask- 
ing questions and having had many questions asked, I have 
concluded that some have not quite grasped the full mean- 
ing of my explanations, and believe this is due largely be- 
cause they have not given it the careful study it deserves. 

It could hardly be expected that one who had not given 
the subject any previous study could grasp it all at one 
reading. Some have said that they have read the book 
through four times and gained much each time. 

In this supplement there are some points explained that 
are mentioned in the book, but they are explained in quite 
a different manner. I herein endeavor to illustrate how 
I apply my system to my own flock of poultry and hope it 
will help the reader to become more familiar with the sub 
ject. I feel sure that the historj'- of the eight bobtails and 
other information that is given here will be of great in- 
terest and value to poultry raisers. 

The illustrations on })ages 8. 14, 16, 18, 20 and 26, in this 
supplement are from actual photographs of the laying 
organs taken from the bobtailed hens. 

The illustration on page 4 is from an actual photograph 
of the laying organ of a hen (not one of the "bobtails") 
in perfect condition. 

THOS. F. POTTER. 




Sows fully developed egg. (C) shows ova- 
sacs in a state ot absorption. 



A HISTORY OF EIGHT NON-LAYING "BOBBED" 
TAILED HENS AND ONE THAT WAS NOT 
"BOBBED," INCLUDING VALUABLE SCIEN- 
TIFIC FACTS REGARDING MOULTING. 

I take it for granted that the reader has carefully read 
my book, " Dont Kill the Laying Hen,'' and become fa- 
miliar with the laws of nature that control the laying or- 
gans, if not, another reading should be made and the 
knowledge gained put into practice, which practice will 
give a very much better understanding of the laws. 

THE STORY OF THE ONE HEN THAT WAS NOT 

"BOBBED" 

In taking up this subject, let me first explain about one 
hen that was not "bobbed." 

Some five years ago I had a hen that revealed to me two 
very important laws of nature that proved to be the two 
missing links that w^ere necessary to make up an almost 
perfect sj^stem of selecting non-laying hens'. 

About the middle of August in that year my attention 
was attracted to one of the hens in the flock because of 
the complete shedding of feathers and the growth of new 
ones, which caused surprise because the others did not 
show any signs of shedding so early. My first thought 
was that this hen would be ready to start laying early in 
the fall and would make a good winter layer. Weeks 
passed, and as no signs of development were apparent, 



A Supplement to 



my curiosity became aroused and I watched her closer 
and began to think there must be something wrong with 
her laying organs. Not having had any previous' experi- 
ence of the kind or given the subject any particular study, 
I concluded that there was something to be learned and 
a reason for the hen shedding so early. As time passed, 
1 fully concluded that her organs had no life in them. 
However, after I had given the time necessary for develop- 
ment, and there was no opportunity to learn more while 
she was alive, I concluded to kill her and see if I had 
drawn correct conclusions'. Close examination of the or- 
gans showed them to be very defective, black and yellow 
dead ova germs and the organ in a dry state, very small 
and contracted; and as the dormant ovas in a healthy 
state are clear and light in color, it was plain that the 
organ never could have developed another egg. This led 
to two important conclusions : 

1. That a hen having a dead or defective laying organ, 
did not use up her energy in the production of eggs, and 
not having anything to hold back the moulting that draws 
upon her system, it follows that as' a natural sequence 
moulting took place earlier than it otherwise would have 
done. 

2. That a non-laying hen did not consume much feed. 
Previous to this I had not given any thought to the feed 
question in any way, especially as' to the difference in the 
amount consumed by a laying or a non-laying hen; but 
this opened up a new field for study and investigation 
which I have recorded in the last edition of my book. 



Bon^t Kill the Laying Hen 



While I was quite certain as to the correctness of these 
two theories, I decided to take it up the next season as it 
was then too late to carry on any further experiments 

For the following two years I kept over two or three 
non-laying hens in order to further prove these facts. In- 
variably the non-layers shed far in advance of the rest 
of the flock. Other points had been closely watched, such 
as following up the crop test, etc. 

During these two years of experiments, I learned many 
important facts. Then the last revised edition of the 
book was printed, being three years ago, and the experi- 
ments that have been carried on since that time will be 
told in the story of the 



FIRST FOUR NON-LAYING BOBTAILED HENS. 

The following year, 1909, I had thirty-five hens that had 
laid one season. No culling had been made during the win- 
ter as it is not the time to do it, though if the major part 
of the hens' have started to lay late in the winter, some 
culling could be done. 

In the early spring, the majority of the hens had begun 
to lay. Some time passed between examinations of the 
flocks as to their laying conditions. 

One morning as we were having a warm rain, and in 
taking out some extra feed, I noticed four hens in the 
shed, while all the others were out, soaking wet, pulling 
out fat angle worms and hunting for more with great in- 




Fig. 30 

Showing several dead eggs just above two live 
eggs, marked L. 



Don^t Kill the Laying Hen 



terest. These four hens' were unconcerned about the fav- 
orable opportunity for securing worms. 

The contrast was so marked as to demand investigation. 
I closed the door on the four hens and went to the house 
after the shears, caught them and made an examination, 
found that in the way of Qgg development there was 
"nothing doing," and no feed in their crops. It was de- 
cided very quickly that their tail feathers should be cut 
close — ' ' bobbed. ' ' 

After this "bloodless surgical operation," they w^ere al- 
lowed their liberty. With their tails "bobbed" they could 
be seen and all their acts and habits easily watched, at 
the same time making it convenient to pick them out for 
examination. 

These hens were allowed to remain in the flock nearly 
all summer and were very instructive and interesting in 
proving the theory that the non-layer ate very little food 
and will be so to you, if you will do the same thing, so as 
to become personally familiar with these facts. 

I have often asked visiting friends and neighbors if 
they could see any difference between the actions of the 
bob tails and the others. Invariably the answer was "No." 
Then giving them a demonstration by scattering some 
feed, again calling attention to the bobtails and asking if 
any difference could be distinguished. The only difference 
v/as* that they made no effort to get feed and did not seem 
to^care about anything to eat. By driving them out in 
an attempt to force them to eat resulted in a very evident 
lack of appetite ; they leisurely picked up a few pieces of 



10 ■ A Supplement to 



grain and then left while the balance of the flock con- 
tinned to eat nntil their crops were well filled to supply 
the necessary food for egg production. 

Generally, at roosting time, I found one or two on the 
roost, invariablj^ the bobtails were on the roost first. 
Waiting until dark and desiring to make further tests, 
after the hens were all settled down, I made an examina- 
tion, comparing the condition of the bobtails with the 
others, and found the crops of the bobtails contained but 
little feed while the crops of the majority of the others 
were well filled, and still others that were not laying so 
heavy more or less filled. 

As the laying season advanced, they were found by tests 
1 and 2, as given in the book, "Don't Kill the Laying Hen/^ 
to be in fairly good laying condition, bones spread, in- 
testines down, indicating a developed laying condition, but 
the abdomen having in most cases an abnormal amount of 
fat stored in it between and around the points of the lay 
bones. This condition alone would be deceiving, but when 
the crop test was applied — very little food was found in 
them. This again proved their unproductive condition. 

Now, to complete the story of the four bobtails, they 
were all killed and dissected during the latter part of 
August and their organs found in different states of dis- 
order, some having a few yolks hanging to the ovary sur- 
rounded with more or less dead ones. (See Fig. 30.) 

A very important point to know is that these four bob- 
tailed non-laying hens were the first hens to shed their 
feathers and come out with a new coat. 



Don^t Kill the Laying Hen 11 

These experiments were very satisfactory to me and 
gave additional proof that I had formed the right ideas'. 
However, the season passed and the flock had been culled 
down to twenty-two hens ; several of them laid right up to 
the first week in December and a few laid up till the second 
w^eek in December before moulting. 

These long laying season hens moulted so rapidly, were 
quite bare of feathers, and the weather being quite cold, 
I put them in warmer quarters to keep them comfortable 
so that the new coat of feathers would grow rapidly. In 
less than seven weeks these late moulters were laying 
again, keeping it up until the following December. 

Shortly after the four bobtails were killed, others 
started to moult and completed the process far in advance 
of the strong laying hens. Some of these I killed, dis- 
sected, and found their organs in a low, dormant condi- 
tion, more or less defective, many of the small ovaries' be- 
ing yellow and some black, proving them to have been in 
a weak laying condition, hence ceasing to lay early in the 
season, proving that the demand for substance to produce 
the new crop of feathers overcome the weak laying re- 
quirements. 

This experiment convinced me that hens having defec- 
tive or weak laying organs would follow the non-layers 
in the shedding of their feathers, which would be a very 
good guide to determine the hens having weak organs* 
and short season layers. Such hens' would not be profita- 
ble to winter over for another year's laying. 

I was convinced long before this experience that the 



12 A Supplement fo 



hens that did not start to lay until late in the season, or 
the last ones to start in the spring (if they were of equal 
ages), would be the first to stop laying for the season, 
and, of course, would not be profitable to winter over. 
This fact, with the time when a hen starts laying, and 
when she stops, makes it an easy matter to select poor 
layers. 

The first hens that start laying in the spring or winter 
and continue laying late in the ^eason must have very 
strong and healthy laying organs ; and of course would be 
the proper ones to keep over for another season's laying. 

As a rule, most poultry raisers' are largely guided by the 
hens' ages in making their selections. I have proven 
among my own flock that some old hens will lay more 
eggs in a season than some young hens. These are facts 
and will have to be admitted. They prove that it is foll}^ 
to dispose of hens' just because they have laid one or tAvo 
seasons and keep younger hens that Avould, or could, not 
produce half as many eggs as the older, strong producing 
hens. 

This is a large subject and too long to take more space 
at this point, but with the explanations that have been 
made, there should not be much trouble in making selec- 
tions of the proper hens to keep over for another year's 
laying as well as the proper ones to dispose of. 



Don^t Kill the Laying Hen 13 

THE OTHER FOUR NON-LAYING BOBTAILS 

The following year, after the first four bobtails had 
been disposed of, I wintered over 22 hens left out of the 
flock of 35 wintered over the previous year. A portion of 
these hens started to lay in January and all but four of 
the others started laying a little later. The four gave no 
signs of egg development. They were followed up for 
a few weeks w^ith occasional examinations to see if any 
signs of egg groAvth Avere taking place, and as these signs 
did not develop, I soon concluded that they had defective 
laying organs and their tails were bobbed also. 

I saw that I had another opportunity to further prove 
that the non-laying and w^eakly laying hen would be the 
first to shed their feathers and come out with their ncAV 
coat. This" moulting question had become very interest- 
ing, and as I had the opportunity to carry out another 
experiment along the same line, I concluded to allow the 
four bobtails to remain in the flock during the laying sea- 
son. After a time, all four of the bobtails showed signs 
of egg development, the same as the other four bobtails 
did, their combs being red, intestines dropping down, filling 
up the abdomen pocket, the lay-bones spreading. I had 
been looking for these conditions to take place, as I have 
stated in the book that nearly every hen, sooner or later, 
would take on some stage of laying condition, even though 
the laying organs were so defective that it would be impos- 
sible for them to develop a perfect egg. (See Figs. 31 and 
32,)*'This is why hens are so deceiving to the poultryman 




Fiy. 31 

Showing very unnatural growth of the ovary. Many ovas 
trying to grow out in a solid body. 



Don^t Kill the Laying Hen 15 

who has not become familiar with these laws and condi- 
tions that take place and it also makes it somewhat compli- 
cated to the beginner or to the one jnst starting to learn 
the system of selecting- snch hens and keeping them ont of 
the flock. These hens naturally become very heavy and 
fat. This is Yery good proof of their laying organs' 
condition, although some hens will lay quite well for a 
while when they are over fat. These hens with the de- 
fective organs that only take on what seem to be a laying 
condition, can be detected even though they have de- 
veloped into a laying state. It would be quite a difficult 
matter were it not for the crop test, as this is the most 
reliable in such cases and especially in the laying season 
or in warm weather. I might say here that such 
hens will often continue in this, what seems' to be a laying 
condition, for several months and not be able to produce 
an egg, others may be able to produce a small number 
in accordance with the defective ness of the organ. These 
hens that are not able to produce any eggs, but which 
show nearly all the signs of laying, are only very slowly 
developing some yolks on the ovary ; and after a time 
they start to die, perhaps being as long dying as they were 
in developing. (See Figs. 30 and 31.) These show some of 
the described conditions. See also illustrations shown and 
explanations in the book. It will be seen that this year's 
experience further proved my theories, 




Fig-. 32 

Showing organs destroyed by inflammation, 

very much enlarged and caked, 

completely disabled. 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 17 

HOAV HENS HAVING RED COMBS ARE DECEIVING 

Often such hens have redder combs than the hens' that 
are doing the laying, and one that was not posted along 
this line would think them to be the best layers in the 
flock. The explanation for it is that all hens just previous 
to their starting to lay have very red combs and continue 
to have for some time, but after a while the color will 
fade somewhat as the laying organs are taking on all the 
nourishment that can be spared to develop eggs. Also, 
a large amount of feed is required and the digestion of 
which uses up energy, all of which has its effect. On the 
other hand, the hen that has organs so defective that 
they are only able to reach a developing condition, in sev- 
eral weeks or a few months developing only a few yolks, 
does not need so much feed or energy to digest it and 
consequently as long as such conditions last there is noth- 
ing to prevent that hen from having a red comb. All 
animal kind look well previous to delivering their young. 
But as' the mother is called upon to supply food for the 
young, a large part of h^r energy is turned toward sup- 
plyoing it and the system shows the loss plainly. 

I think by this explanation and demonstration the poul- 
try raiser can easily see why the hen that can only take 
on the egg-developing state, can have as red a comb as 
the hen that is doing the laying, and also why the non- 
layers at this time can be so deceiving. 

Now, to go back to the second four bobtails. Their con- 
dition and crops were often examined and their crops were 




Fig. 33 

Showing- dead organs, oviduct filled with 

mangled and dead yolks, Ovary showing 

a few live ova germs among a mass 

of dead ovas or yolks. 



DonH Kill the Laying Hen 19 

found to contain but a small amount of feed at roosting 
time. Some times there would be more in the crops than 
at other times. It must be understood that this was dur- 
ing the warm weather, and in cold weather a non-laying 
hen will consume much more feed than she will in the 
summer. As cold weather approaches', the crop would, 
ordinarily, contain more than in summer time. 

If I had not understood the law that largely controls 
the amount of feed consumed, or the crop test, it would 
have been a hard matter for me to have selected out 
these non-layers after this state of development took 
place. The crop test reveals their laying condition, if it 
is understood and followed up. For further explanations 
on this subject, see pages 40 and 41 in the book. 

All four of these hens had shed their feathers and the 
new coat quite complete when they were killed and dis- 
sected, which was during the latter part of August, which 
was not the case with the other hens in the flock. A por- 
tion of their bodies showing the laying organs are shown 
in Figs. 32 to 35. Study and compare these illustrations. 
This is an interesting condition, and the comparison be- 
tween them and their actions and appearance while still 
in the flock is both instructive and interesting, although 
the defective organs, as shown, are difficult to describe. 
This is an additional proof that hens with weak or de- 
fective laying organs shed their feathers earlier than hens 
with strong laying organs with but few exceptions, and, 
as a rule, can be relied upon. 

In carrying out this quite extensive test, I find the ex- 







at 


1IW^«w» .i WlPW'i^ig^^^-.'m 


'f^J 


■^^ j| 


f '*■ 


^% 


^^^m 




: ^■\^ 


H^H^dfll^P B 


i 


m 

4 

1 


^^HI^& -^ • 9iK^raM^^H 


■ 



Fig. 34p 

Dead organs showing a very peculiar and unnatural growth 
of an ova. 



Dori^t Kill the Laying Hen 21 

ceptions to be with hens that have laid out a batch of 
eggs and have become broody and allowed to sit on the 
nest until the laying organ had reached a full dormant 
state, and then removed from the nest and well fed. Un- 
der this condition the hen that had a perfectly sound 
organ is' liable to start shedding quite rapidly and before 
a new batch of eggs could start development the moulting 
would be so far advanced that it would require all the 
substance keeping the laying organ in a dormant state; 
but when the new coat of feathers is fully grown and she 
has recuperated, q^^ development could take place and 
the hen make a good winter layer. 

I have also found that when a hen has been thrown into 
a poor state of health, from any cause, and the laying 
organ having taken on a defective state that might or 
would cause more or less pain, the hen would be among 
the last to moult. 

When it is' about time for the hens to start moulting, it 
will be noticed that some of the hens in the flock had 
started to moult and new feathers making their appear- 
ance. In some cases the hen may have laid out a batch 
of eggs, and while the ncAV batch is getting started she 
has a chance to recuperate, and the moulting takes ad- 
vantage and starts. One would suppose that the hen that 
had started to moult would continue until the work was 
complete, but the laying organs' being the stronger says 
''no," there are more eggs to be produced and moulting 
has to wait, these hens going for weeks without shedding 
feathers or many new ones coming in. This is quite good 



22 A Supplement to 



proof that such hens have good laying organs, so strong 
that they control the situation and take all the nourish- 
ment for the development of the eggs. 

Again, it sometimes happens that about the time the 
moulting might be expected to start, the majority of the 
flock start in and go clear through the moult without any 
cessation. This may be accounted for through two causes, 
one that the flock may have been kept in quarters that 
have been infested by vermin and unsanitary, causing the 
majority of the flock to stop laying, the organs becoming 
dormant and dry. Then renovating the house and ad- 
mitting more fresh air would start the moulting and get 
so far along with it that there is no chance for egg de- 
velopment to take place. In another flock the moulting 
may h&ve been started on the general flock by food that 
was more laxative than they had been in the habit of 
having. 

I give these exceptions that might take place, and be 
misleading in making selections of non and poor layers, 
especially for the poultrymen who are guided in their 
selections largely be the earliness of the hens moulting. 
It can be seen that all of the surrounding conditions' must 
be considered one cannot altogether rely on one thing. 

FORCED ]\IOULTING BAD BUSINESS. 

Some few years ago, an extensive poultry raiser advo- 
cated forcing hens to moult in advance of the regular lay- 
ing season while eggs were cheap, and by doing so it was 



Don^t Kill the Laying Hen 23 

thought that eggs could be had when they were high. It 
appeared to be a good idea and a good many poultry 
raisers became interested in it. To what extent it was 
practised I am unable to say. However, the plan was en- 
tirely against nature and could not help but be the cause 
of many hens losing their power to produce eggs. The 
plan was to starve or feed very lightly for a time and then 
feed strong again. This causing the hens to shed their 
feathers and bring out the new coats in advance of the 
regular season and they were supposed to be ready to start 
early laying. 

Ijet us consider the results of this kind of treatment. 
We will suppose that the larger percent of the flock were 
laying or were just starting a new batch and were sud- 
denly deprived of their feed and the ovaries were loaded 
with ovas or yolks in all stages of development ; the ques- 
tion is "What is to become of those ovas or yolks if the 
hen is not supplied with feed and cannot carry out the 
work undertaken? There is only one result. Sooner or 
later they would have to wither and die, the body might 
hold them in preservation for some time. The length of 
time would vary with the amount of feed she was given. 
Tf the hen had just laid out a batch of eggs, the organ 
would take on the full dormant state and no harm would 
be done. 

But, T do not think the plan has been very extensively 
adopted or ever will be. for poultrymen would soon find 
that their hens would not lay well thereafter and very 
likely would not try it the second time. 



24 A Supplement to 



HOW THE LAYING SEASON CAN BE EXTENDED 

AND MANY MORE EGGS OBTAINED, OR WHY 

HENS HAVING STRONG ORGANS STOP 

LAYING EARLY IN THE SEASON. 

As spring is the natural time for hens to lay and late 
Slimmer or early fall the natural time for them to stop, 
it can be seen that in the fall every discomfort the hen 
has to stand, tends to interfere with the natural egg pro- 
duction. Consequently the hen shonld be given feed and 
every conifort that is possible, as this will tend to greatly 
lengthen the laying season. Hens lay their eggs in batches 
and when a batch is laid out the hen may either become 
broody and the lajnng organs' go into the dormant state, 
or they start and develop another batch of eggs. 

The question is, What is desired? If it is more eggs, 
we work to that end. 

It is quite a critical period when a batch of eggs have 
been laid out, for a change has to be made, the organ must 
either start and develop another batch of eggs and con- 
tinue the work or become dormant. When the batch of 
eggs are developing, there is something to be accom- 
plished, and it is perfectly natural for the organ to con- 
tinue in the work of development. However, it is an easy 
matter for it to dry up at this point and will do it if con- 
ditions are not most favorable. Any thing that tends to 
reduce the hen's vitality, hinders production, and particu- 
larly so at such times. On the contrary anything that 
tends to strengthen the vitality, will help the organ to 



Don 7 Kill the Laying Hen 25 

develop another batch of eggs. We now have the two 
conditions. One to be worked for and the other to be 
avoided. To produce more eggs, the hen must have an 
abundance of fresh air, it will stimulate the appetite and 
thus build up the system. Lots of scratching material for 
the feed to be thrown into to make them Avork, creating 
and stimulating circulation which will start egg develop- 
ment. On the other hand the lack of fresh air causing 
loss of appetite with unsanitary quarters and vermin, no 
necessity to work to get food will stop Qgg development 
and cause the organ to become dormant, possibly in a dis- 
eased condition and no more eggs for the season, 



WHY THE FLOCK SHOULD BE PROPERLY CARED 
FOR IX ORDER TO MAKE A CORRECT SELEC- 
TION OF THE POOR AND NON-LAYERS. 

I am some times' asked to select the non and poor layers 
out of a flock. Only a few hens are necessary to show 
that the flock has not been well cared for and no one would 
be able to make a proper selection. The hens in a full 
dormant state could be easily known or the hen that had 
made some e^^ development, but the hen that has lost 
the power of e^^ production, and the hen that has organs 
so defective that only a few eggs could be produced in a 
season could not be selected under such conditions. I have 
stated in the book that the flock must be properly cared 




Fig. 35 

Showing a mass of dead yolks hanging to ovary, two 
live ovas shown in center, marked L. 



Don^t Kill the Laying Hen 27 

for in order to make these selections, bnt some have the 
idea that if they gave them good care a few days previous 
to making the selections that it could be correctly done. 
That will not do and I think I can make explanations so 
that anyone can see why the flock must be well cared for 
at least for several weeks previous' to the time of making 
the selection. If a flock of hens have not been well fed 
the flock is of course in poor condition and egg develop- 
ment could not take place, or if in some cases it should 
start it would not be a normal or natural development. 

Egg development will only take place when a hen is 
in a thriving condition. There is no very marked differ- 
ence between a hen that had a defective organ in a dorm- 
ant state and the hen with an organ in a healthy dormant 
condition as long as they were both poor in flesh. The 
body demands all the nourishment until well built up, 
which takes several weeks and then egg development can 
be expected. Then the one having good organs would 
start egg development. This would continue the demand 
for feed and the crop test would prove the condition. 
While the hen with the dead or defective organ would 
not start egg development and would lose her appetite 
then the contrast is easily noted. 

When culling is to be done any time during the laying 
season this good care must be taken into consideration. If 
vermin and unsanitary quarters are allowed or overcrowd- 
ed houses the hens with good laying organs will soon 
lose their appetites, consequently egg development stops 
and conditions change. 



28 A Supplement to 



It often happens that a flock of hens are carelessly fed, 
havino: all the shelled corn and other grain they can 
eat without working for it, consequently their entire time 
spent in idleness' and this in the time of year that their 
laying- organs are in the dormant state as is the case dur- 
ing or after the latter part of the moult. Under such 
conditions after the new coat is fully developed and the 
organ in a dormant state, the hens will become fat very 
rapidly: the entire flock soon becoming over fat. It is 
supposed that such hens have laid one or more seasons. 
Egg development would begin slowly and the flock at no 
time would be in a normal condition, this again makes the 
culling more difficult. 

These explanations with what has been given in the 
book regarding this question will make the conditions 
better understood which are necessary for a successful 
and proper culling from the flock the non and weak 
layers. 



A GOOD WAY TO MARK SUSPECTS 

When a hen is found to be in a backward or poor egg 
developing state it is sometimes necessary or safer to 
give more time to see if a better development can or will 
take place so as to better determine the condition of the 
hen's laying organs. 

In order to save the time and trouble necessary to go 
over the whole flock the second time I have found no bet- 



Don H Kill the Laying Hen 29 

ter way to mark the "suspects" than to cut one-half of 
the tail feathers far enough down to be readily seen. 

If a majority of the flock are laying a week or two is 
usually sufficient time to give these ''suspects" to develop 
into normal laying condition. At the end of this time the 
"suspects" only can be examined and if found to be in an 
undeveloped or non-laying condition the remainder of the 
tail can be clipped off, thus indicating that the hen has 
been entirely condemned as a proper hen to keep for lay- 
ing purposes. 



PROOF THAT NO MISTAKE HAS BEEN MADE IN 

THE SELECTION OF A NON-LAYER, EVEN 

THOUGH FOUND TO HAVE A FEW 

LIVE YOLKS ON THE OVARY 

I believe that I should not close my book until I have 
made further explanations on this important subject. 

I have explained that there would be but a small per 
cent of non-laying hens' with more or less defective laying 
organs that would not at some time during the laying 
season take on conditions of Q^g development and still 
not be able to produce a single Qgg, while others less de- 
fective could develop a few eggs and lay them at some 
time during the laying season, but these yolks' might be 
carried for weeks and even months in a semi-dormant 



go A Supplement to 



state, the laying organs being too weak to develop them. 
So, do not be alarmed if, in killing a hen you have se- 
lected as a non-layer, you should find a few yolks; that 
is no indication that she would be a profitable hen to keep. 

Later on in the season these yolks that have developed 
will die and the watery substance be absorbed back into 
the system and a dead substance remain hanging to the 
ovary in a preserved state and no doubt could be kept in 
this condition for years if the hen was allowed to live. 

With this point understood, it can be readily seen that 
it would not be an uncommon thing in the laying season 
and under favorable conditions, to select a non-laying 
hen by the tests given and, after being killed, to find live 
eggs or yolks upon the laying organ. But, as stated, this 
does not prove that she is a laying hen. She might be 
seen to go on the nest every day for weeks and still not 
lay an agg during the whole season; she is simply carry- 
ing out her nature or desire to lay, but the condition of 
her laying organs prevent anything more than a partial 
development of the eggs. All these conditions are very 
deceiving. She is quite likely to have a red comb until 
the eggs have died, when the comb will fade. 



DON'T KILL THE 
LAYING HEN 




^- 



\ 



LIBRARY 



OF 



^O'^GREsj 



^J0285S'^fi>l 



